Resolution 1360 (2004)

Contested Credentials of the parliamentary delegations of Ireland and Malta

Author(s): Parliamentary Assembly

Origin - Assembly debate on 27 January 2004 (3rd Sitting) (seeDoc.10051, report of the Committee on Rules of Procedure and Immunities, rapporteur: Mr Kroupa). Text adopted by the Assembly on 27 January 2004 (3rd Sitting).

1. The Parliamentary Assembly refers to Rule 6.2 of its Rules of Procedure according to which national delegations should include the under-represented sex at least in the same percentage as is present in their parliaments, and in any case one representative of each sex.

2. The Assembly notes that the Irish parliamentary delegation, which is composed of four Representatives and four Substitutes of male gender and the Maltese parliamentary delegation, which is composed of three Representatives and three Substitutes of male gender, do not meet the aforementioned requirement.

3. It also notes that the Speaker of the Maltese Parliament has indicated in a letter to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly that the size and composition of the Maltese Parliament has so far proved to be a hindrance to including in the delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly a representative of each sex.

4. The secretariat of the Irish delegation has also indicated in writing reasons why no woman member is included in the delegation.

5. The Assembly notes that the credentials of both parliamentary delegations have been validly challenged on the grounds that they do not include at least one representative of the female sex (Rule 7.1.b of the Rules of Procedure).

6. Consequently, the Assembly decides to ratify the credentials of the Irish and the Maltese parliamentary delegations, but to suspend the voting rights of their members in the Assembly and its bodies in accordance with Rule 7.3.c, until the composition of these delegations is brought into conformity with Rule 6.2.