Publications
The purpose of this submission is to summarise Ireland’s human rights and equality obligations where they are applicable to the Citizens’ Assembly’s current discussions on Article 40.3.3° of the Irish Constitution. IHREC Submission to the Citizens’ Assembly December 2016
This factsheet outlines the key points on the budget cycle from the Stability Programme Update to Budget day itself. Budget Proofing for Human Rights and Equality Factsheet 4: The Budget Process
This factsheet outlines some of the reforms which are relevant to the development of the budget proofing process. Budget Proofing for Human Rights and Equality Factsheet 3: Budgetary Institutions – What’s Changing?
This factsheet describes the background of budget proofing in Ireland and details some recommendations for future work in this area. Budget Proofing for Human Rights and Equality Factsheet 2: Budget Proofing – Background and Some Learning
This factsheet identifies some core principles that are relevant to realising social, economic and cultural rights. Budget Proofing for Human Rights and Equality Factsheet 1: Realising Rights – Key Principles
Amicus Curiae submission to the Court of Appeal Balchand & Ors v Minister for Justice and Equality & Luximon & Ors v Minister for Justice and Equality
The Attorney General v. Eric Eoin Marques / Eric Eoin Marques v. The Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General.
Court of Appeal – June 2016
The Commission addresses two issues:
(a) the practice in the United States of America of taking into account, when sentencing, matters other than those of which a person is convicted.
(b) whether the DPP was obliged to provide reasons for her decision not to prosecute the Appellant.
The Attorney General v. Eric Eoin Marques Eric Eoin Marques v. The Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General. Court of Appeal. June 2016
The Commission welcomes the upcoming Second Evaluation Round by the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (‘GRETA’) and the opportunity to make a submission in advance of GRETA’s country visit.
IHREC Submission to GRETA 2016
In these recommendations, the Commission provides substantive observations on the following Heads of the General Scheme of the Bill: Head 1: Reasonable accommodation Head 2: National mechanisms Head 3: Deprivation of liberty Head 10: Amendment of Equal Status Act 2000-2015 Head 11: Amendment of Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 observations-on-the-general-scheme-equality-disability-miscellaneous-provisions-bill
The Commission was formed through the merger of the former Equality Authority and the former Human Rights Commission, both of which undertook significant work on education and, respectively, equality and human rights. These observations draw on the insights gained from that work, including knowledge of the practical barriers that students have faced in securing admission to school in ways that have undermined their right to not be discriminated against or that limit the full realisation of their human rights, and knowledge of the practices of some schools after admission that affect the full realisation of the students’ rights.
The Commission highlights some relevant obligations under Section 42 (Public Sector Duty) of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, under international human rights law, along with a number of other observations, which should be given due consideration during the drafting of the Strategy for the Rental Sector.
This Memo provides background information to the Murray Review (the ‘Review’) established in January 2016 to examine the legislative framework in respect of access by statutory bodies to communications data. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (the ‘Commission’) highlights human rights and equality issues of concern in relation to the specific context of the Review.
O Keefe v Ireland (application No 35810/09) Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Rule 9(2) of the Rules of the Committee of Ministers
This template may help an organisation to identify areas of strength or weakness in their approach to human rights and equality as it relates to service delivery.
A template for consulting with older people which can be adapted for consulting with a wide range of current or potential service users
The Commission’s core submission is that non-citizens, including persons seeking asylum or subsidiary protection such as the Applicant, are entitled to invoke and enjoy the right to work or earn a livelihood which has long been recognised under Article 40.3.1˚ of the Constitution.
The first Annual Report of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission covering the period November 2014 to December 2015.
Is í seo an chéad Tuarascáil Bhliantúil atá á cur faoi bhráid Thithe an Oireachtais maidir le hobair Choimisiún na hÉireann um Chearta an Duine agus Comhionannas a bunaíodh i mí na Samhna 2014 agus a chlúdaíonn an tréimshe ó Samhain 2014 go 31 Nollaig 2015.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) contains an important innovation in Article 33, which requires states to establish national mechanisms to implement, to coordinate and to monitor progress in achieving the aims of the Convention. It is the first UN human rights treaty to contain a requirement for the establishment of a monitoring mechanism in the text of the treaty itself, as opposed to in an additional Optional Protocol. This has been described as a key innovation with the potential to transform the ‘majestic generalities’ of the Convention into concrete reform at the domestic level.1 Central to the inclusion of this innovation in Article 33 was the concerted effort of people with disabilities, their representative organisations, and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in the negotiation of the Convention.
Refusing to accept tenants because of rent allowance is now illegal. As of the 1st January 2016, the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015 has introduced “housing assistance” as a new discriminatory ground. This means that people in receipt of rent supplement, housing assistance payments or other social welfare payments can no longer be discriminated against…