Section 5 of the Act grants to the courts the power to make a declaration that a statutory provision or common law rule is incompatible with the convention. Such a declaration does not render the law in question invalid, rather the Taoiseach is obliged to bring any such declaration to the attention of both Dáil and Seanad Éireann. A litigant who has been granted a declaration of incompatibility may receive monetary compensation in accordance with the principles of just satisfaction under Article 41 of the convention, but the award of such compensation is entirely within the discretion of the Government.