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Domestic Implementation of International Obligations LAW REFORM COMMISSION DISCUSSION PAPER DOMESTIC IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS (LRC 124-2020) Discussion Paper Domestic Implementation of International Obligations (LRC 124 – 2020) © Law Reform Commission 2020 Styne House, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2, D02 DY27 T. + 353 1 637 7600 E. [email protected] W. http://www.lawreform.ie ISSN 1393-3132 DISCUSSION PAPER: DOMESTIC IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS About the Law Reform Commission The Law Reform Commission is an independent statutory body established by the Law Reform Commission Act 1975. The Commission’s principal role is to keep the law under review and to make proposals for reform, in particular, by recommending the enactment of legislation to clarify and modernise the law. Since it was established, the Commission has published over 200 documents (Working Papers, Consultation Papers, Issues Papers and Reports) containing proposals for law reform and these are all available at www.lawreform.ie. Most of these proposals have contributed in a significant way to the development and enactment of reforming legislation. The Commission’s role is carried out primarily under a Programme of Law Reform. The Fifth Programme of Law Reform was prepared by the Commission following broad consultation and discussion. In accordance with the 1975 Act, it was approved by the Government in March 2019 and placed before both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Commission also works on specific matters referred to it by the Attorney General under the 1975 Act. The Commission’s Access to Legislation work makes legislation in its current state (as amended rather than as enacted) more easily accessible to the public in three main outputs: the Legislation Directory, Revised Acts and the Classified List of Legislation. The Legislation Directory comprises electronically searchable indexes of amendments to primary and secondary legislation and important related information. Revised Acts bring together all amendments and changes to an Act in a single text. The Commission provides online access to selected Revised Acts that were enacted before 2005 and Revised Acts are available for all Acts enacted from 2005 onwards (other than Finance Acts) that have been textually amended. The Classified List is a separate list of all Acts of the Oireachtas that remain in force organised under 36 major subject- matter headings. i DISCUSSION PAPER: DOMESTIC IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS Commission Members President: Ms Justice Mary Laffoy, former judge of the Supreme Court Commissioner (full-time): Raymond Byrne, Barrister-at-Law Commissioner: Donncha O’Connell, Established Professor of Law, NUI Galway Commissioner: Ms Justice Carmel Stewart, judge of the High Court Commissioner: Thomas O’Malley, Barrister-at-Law Commission Staff Law Reform Research Director of Research: Rebecca Coen, BCL (NUI), LLM (Criminal Justice) (NUI), Barrister-at-Law Deputy Director of Research: Robert Noonan, LLB (Dubl), BCL (Oxon), PhD (Dubl) Access to Legislation Manager: Alma Clissmann, BA (Mod), LLB, Dip Eur Law (Bruges), Solicitor Deputy Manager: Kate Doran, BCL, LLM (NUI), PhD (UL), Barrister-at-Law SLRP Project Manager: Fiona Carroll, BA (Mod), LLB, Solicitor iii LAW REFORM COMMISSION OF IRELAND Administration Head of Administration: Bríd Rogers Executive Officers: Ger Mooney Gavin Walsh Clerical Officer: Claire Carroll Library and Information Services Library and Information Manager: Órla Gillen, BA, MLIS Legal Researchers Hazel Bergin, LLB, LLM (Dubl) Leanne Caulfield, BCL, LLM (NUI) Eunice Collins, LLB (Dubl) Liam Dempsey, BCL (UCD), LLM (QUB) Sandra Eaton, Dip (BIHE), BA (NUI), PDip (Kings Inns), Barrister-at-Law James Egleston, LLB, MA (NUI) Rachel Gaffney BCL (UCD), LL.M (NUI) Morgane Hervé, BCL (NUI), Maîtrise (Paris II), LLM (KCL) Suzanne Scott, LLB (Ling Germ) (Dubl), LLM (NUI) Principal Legal Researchers for this Discussion Paper: Rónán Condon, PhD (EUI) Meghan McSweeney, BCL (Intl) (NUI) with Hist, LLM (Georgetown), Attorney-at-Law (NY) Mgr. Alexandra Molitorisová (Charles University, Prague) Coordinating Commissioners for this Discussion Paper: Raymond Byrne, Barrister-at-Law Donncha O’Connell, Established Professor of Law, NUI Galway iv DISCUSSION PAPER: DOMESTIC IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS Acknowledgements The Commission wishes to thank the following who provided valuable assistance in the course of this project. The Commission remains fully responsible for the content of this Discussion Paper. Professor Ciarán Burke, University of Jena, former Director of Research, Law Reform Commission Dr David Fennelly BL and Assistant Professor of Law, School of Law, Trinity College Dublin Peter Fitzsimons, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport Dr Ruth Gallagher, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Eilish Kennedy, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport James Kingston BL, Legal Adviser, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Patricia O’Brien, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport Michael O'Neill, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Trevor Redmond BL, Legal Counsellor, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade v DISCUSSION PAPER: DOMESTIC IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS Table of Contents Overview and Summary ........................................................................................................ 1 Purpose of this Discussion Paper ...................................................................... 2 Impact on Irish law of over 1,400 ratified international agreements ............... 2 Ireland’s Role in International Law since the Foundation of the State ............. 4 How Ireland Implements its International Law Obligations: the State’s Treaty Practice in a “Dualist” System ...................................................................................... 6 How Ireland Ratifies and Implements International Agreements .................... 8 Monitoring and Enforcement Mechanisms for International Agreements .... 10 Chapter 1 Ireland’s Role in International Law Since the Foundation of the State ............ 13 Impact on Irish law of over 1,400 ratified international agreements ............. 14 General effect of international law on domestic law ................................. 14 Progressive development and codification of international law ................ 15 The Commission’s engagement with international law ............................. 16 Ireland’s initial efforts at international recognition and the international status of 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty ............................................................................... 18 Ireland’s international standing in the 1920s and 1930s prior to the 1937 Constitution ............................................................................................................... 20 Initial assertions of Ireland’s status at international level .......................... 20 Ireland’s early international engagement as a Dominion .......................... 22 1926 Balfour Declaration clarified Ireland’s international status ............... 23 Ireland’s view on UK Imperial Acts of Parliament ...................................... 24 Amendments to the 1922 Constitution and the 1936 Abdication Crisis .... 25 Ireland’s relationship with international law since the coming into force of the 1937 Constitution ...................................................................................................... 26 International relations and international law in the 1937 Constitution ..... 27 The 1937 Constitution and generally recognised principles of international law .................................................................................................................... 27 The 1937 Constitution and dualist approach to international treaties ...... 28 The 1937 Constitution and extra-territorial legislation .............................. 29 Effect of the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 .................................................. 29 Membership of the Council of Europe ....................................................... 30 Membership of the United Nations Organization ...................................... 31 Membership of the European Union .......................................................... 33 vii LAW REFORM COMMISSION OF IRELAND Ireland and state succession to pre-1922 treaties ratified by the UK: a pragmatic approach ....................................................................................................34 1922 Constitution did not address state succession ...................................35 State succession: case study of 1899 US-UK Treaty on succession rights of non-residents .........................................................................................................36 Non-residents and the equality principle in international law ...................39 Non-residents and double taxation treaties: from bilateral agreements to the OECD Model Double Taxation Convention ......................................................40 Conclusions on Ireland’s pragmatic approach to state succession .............40 Examples of Ireland ratifying post-1922 treaties that replaced pre-1922 treaties ........................................................................................................................42 The law of war and international humanitarian law: 1899 and 1907 Hague Conventions on Law of War, 1949 Geneva Conventions, and 1977 Protocols on Law of War and Humanitarian Treatment in War ..................................................43
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