Minister for Justice invites Irish nominations to key European Committee on the Prevention of Torture (CPT)
· Minister invites candidates to participate in nomination process to CPT
· Position is “unique opportunity to serve on important European Committee”
16th June, 2014
The Minister for Justice and Equality, Ms Frances Fitzgerald TD, today announced she was seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified members of the public to apply to be considered for appointment as Ireland’s representative on the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).
Minister Fitzgerald said: “I am pleased to invite expressions of interest from members of the public who wish to be considered for appointment to the CPT. This is a unique opportunity to serve one of the most important and effective European Committees. I am confident this public invitation process will attract candidates of the highest calibre who will contribute fully to our work in this important area”.
The primary objective of the CPT is to prevent the ill-treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in Europe.
Its membership is drawn from each Member State of the Council of Europe and is made up of independent and impartial experts drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds including lawyers, medical doctors and specialists in prison or police matters.
The CPT carries out its task by periodic and ad hoc visits. During these visits, the Committee has the right of unimpeded access at any time of the day or night to any place where persons are detained.
Suitably qualified members of the public who meet the requirements for membership of the CPT are now being asked to express their interest. Selection will be based on an examination of the applications received and a shortlist of the most suitable applicants will be placed before the Minister for consideration.
A final three candidates, who have been endorsed by the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the Chairperson of the Irish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, will be placed before the Bureau of the Assembly for consideration by the Committee of Ministers. The Council of Europe will decide which nominee to appoint to the CPT.
Closing date for receipt of expressions of interest is midnight 3 July 2014. Further details on eligibility criteria and how to apply are available on the Department’s website at http://goo.gl/X8sjTp (English Version) and http://goo.gl/LHFLEH (Irish Version). The details are also available on the Public Appointments Service Website at www.publicjobs.ie
Ends.
Note for Editors:
The CPT is a key Council of Europe committee which organises visits to places of detention in order to assess how persons deprived of their liberty are treated. These places include prisons, juvenile detention centres, police stations, holding centres for immigration detainees, psychiatric hospitals and social care homes.
Members do not visit the State in respect of which they have been elected. They serve in their individual capacity and shall be independent and impartial in serving the Committee effectively. Ireland has been asked to submit for consideration by the CPT a list of three candidates to fill the vacant position.
The Minister is now seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced persons for consideration for appointment. This is the second time such a process is being used, the previous time being in 2011. Expressions of interest are being sought through public advertisement on the websites of the Department of Justice and Equality and the Public Appointments Service. It is open to anyone to apply.
The normal term of appointment is for 4 years and members may be re-elected twice. The time commitment is extensive, possibly in the order of 40 days or more per annum, involving meetings and visits abroad.
