Commission publishes UN Sustainable Development Goal recommendations to minimise economic inequality and maximise human rights Today the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (‘the Commission’) published our parallel report to the 2023 UN High-Level Political Forum as part of the second Voluntary National Review (VNR) process: Ireland and the Sustainable Development Goals. We welcomed the…
National Rapporteur on Trafficking of Human Beings Responds to US State Department’s 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (“The Commission”) welcomes the US State Department’s 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report, published today. While there has been progress made in the past year – such as the publication of the…
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (‘the Commission’) welcomes the Court of Appeal ruling concerning the making of civil orders restraining anti-social behaviour. In this case, an anti-social behaviour order was made by the District Court against an individual who was later convicted and sentenced to four months imprisonment for breach of that order….
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (‘the Commission’) notes the Supreme Court’s ruling yesterday in a case involving involuntary adoption and the constitutional rights of the child. The case centred on the adoption of a minor, known as B, who has a learning disability. On 18 and 19 April 2023, the Supreme Court heard…
Equal Access to Justice is a Fundamental Human Right says Commission In June 2022, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee initiated a review of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme for the first time in its more than 40-year history. Today the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (“Commission”) has published its Submission to the Independent Review of…
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (“The Commission”) is very pleased to announce the appointment of Deirdre Malone as its new Director, following a competitive recruitment process run by the Public Appointments Service in line with the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) codes of practice. Sinéad Gibney, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human…
This week the Supreme Court ruled that a child born in the UK via a surrogacy arrangement was not entitled to Irish citizenship based on his non-biological father’s Irish citizenship. The case, in which the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (“the Commission”) acted as Amicus Curiae (“friend of the court”), examined the citizenship of…
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission appeared before the Supreme Court on 25 and 26 April as amicus curiae (or ‘friend of the court’) at a hearing that relates to the admissibility of evidence and the right to a fair trial. The cases of The People (at the suit of the DPP) vs Caolan Smyth and…
The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement has been significant in improving equality and human rights in Northern Ireland. Twenty five years on from this Agreement, there are concerns about the impact of Brexit on these rights. People in Northern Ireland already have fewer equality and human rights protections in some areas than their counterparts in Ireland…
High Court finds that State failed in duty to provide basic needs to man seeking asylum The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (“the Commission”) welcomes the High Court ruling made today in a judicial review case concerning the human rights of people arriving in the State seeking International Protection. The person in the case,…