The Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) met in Plenary Session on 30 October 2008 to discuss the Budget proposal to cut its funding by 24%.
The IHRC was established to fulfil a promise made by the Irish Government under the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement. The IHRC is a public independent body set up by law to protect and promote human rights in Ireland. In addition to its work in this jurisdiction, it works closely with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (also established under the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement) on issues of common concern across the island of Ireland. As such, the IHRC is a key part of the peace process and its establishment was directly supported by the people of Ireland when they approved the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement.
The Commission in Plenary Session stressed that the proposed grant for 2009 of €1.6M will not even allow the IHRC to pay staff salaries and basic operational costs which amount to €2M. A cut of the scale proposed would also leave the IHRC completely unable to perform its functions. It would put its survival in doubt. The Commission is a small and tightly budgeted organisation which has been traditionally under-funded but, nonetheless, has been praised consistently by Irish stakeholders, the United Nations, Council of Europe and the European Union’s Fundamental Rights Agency as a strong and independent voice for human rights.
The Commission is fully aware of the difficulties caused by the current economic downturn and had anticipated some decrease in its grant in 2009. However, the scale of the proposed cutback is disproportionate and excessive. The Commission, made up of fifteen noted, independent experts in the human rights field, stated that the protection and promotion of human rights should be a priority in Government spending, especially in current economic conditions when people are more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
The Commission noted that as recently as July 2008 the United Nations explicitly called on the Government to strengthen the independence and the capacity of the IHRC by giving it adequate and sufficient resources to do its job properly for the Irish people.
The Commission also discussed the proposal in the Budget that the Commission should integrate fully its administrative and other facilities with the Equality Authority. The Commission noted that any savings in this respect are likely to be minimal especially in view of the proposed decentralisation of the Equality Authority to Roscrea.
The Commission has sought an urgent meeting with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
The Commission will meet again on 13 November to discuss its next steps in light of developments over the coming days.
ENDS/
A spokesperson is available for comment.
For further information please contact
Fidelma Joyce
Senior Human Rights Awareness Officer
IHRC
Tel: 01 858 9601
Directline: 01 858 9628
Mob: 087 783 4939