The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (“the Commission”) has provided legal assistance to a man in a discrimination claim under the Employment Equality Acts. The man commenced employment with the respondent employer over a decade ago and on reaching the age of 66 was made to retire. He had alleged that his contract of…
Significant public investment had protective and stabilising role, study finds, but inequality persists A new study from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (‘the Commission’) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), published today, explores the equality impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the labour market, comparing the situation pre- and post-pandemic. Findings…
State must move away from viewing rights as charitable, discretionary and commodities, and progress a rights-based model A paradigm shift is needed in the State’s approach to economic, social and cultural rights (’ESC rights’) if it is to eradicate poverty, build up public service provision, and better respond to the needs of structurally vulnerable communities,…
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (‘the Commission’) has today announced that its Chief Commissioner, Sinéad Gibney intends to resign, with effect from 15 March. Sinéad will seek a nomination to run as a candidate for election in June. The Commission would like to thank Sinéad for the contribution she has made in her…
More action needed to harmonise equality and human rights protections on island of Ireland People all across the island of Ireland should have the same human rights and equality protections, according to a massive 81% of respondents to a new public awareness survey. The poll was carried out in Ireland on behalf of the Irish…
Commission meets Council of Europe Committee to discuss State protection of National Minorities The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (‘the Commission’) will today meet with the expert Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM), to discuss Ireland’s progress in promoting and protecting minority rights. Under the FCNM, Ireland…
Commission Exercised Amicus Curiae Role in Supreme Court Case The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (the “Commission”) welcomes an important Supreme Court judgment in a criminal case on whether the reversal of the burden of proof onto an accused person is permissible on the “balance of probabilities” having regard to the constitutional guarantee of a right…
Disability discrimination the highest area of public contact representing 42% of all equality related concerns Acted as amicus curiae in significant Supreme Court case about Traveller Accommodation Rights Involvement as a third party intervener in case before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg Published first Evaluation of the Implementation of the EU Anti-Trafficking…
Court of Appeal decision recognises seriousness of trafficking and offence of organising prostitution The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (‘the Commission’) today welcomed the clarity provided by the Court of Appeal in providing sentencing guidance for trafficking offences that clearly recognises the seriousness of trafficking and the offence of organising prostitution. The Court ruled…
The first National Anti-Trafficking Report of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (‘the Commission’) as Ireland’s National Rapporteur on Human Trafficking was published today, at a high-level event which saw Europe’s leading anti-trafficking figures from the EU, OSCE and Council of Europe speaking about the State’s anti-Trafficking response. The recent mass displacement of people…