Abstract

Please note that the original article is published in Public Law.Under the Belfast Agreement and s.69(7) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (NIA), the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) has the task of consulting and advising the British government on what rights should be included in a proposed Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. This article examines the drafting process of the Bill of Rights and seeks to answer the following question. Did the decision to ask the NIHRC to undertake such a formidable exercise result in a unique opportunity for the NIHRC to promote awareness and understanding of the importance of a Bill of Rights amongst the general public? Or was such a task an unwelcome distraction for the NIHRC?