Press Release for Immediate Release
09/12/2016
On the eve of International Human Rights Day 2016, Ireland’s human rights watchdog reviewed the progress made in 2016 to bring Ireland’s human rights record into compliance with its international obligations.
Commenting on the lack of legislative action taken by the Government in their second term, Deputy Director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Deirdre Duffy, said “During the audit of Ireland’s human rights record in Geneva in September 2016, we welcomed the Government’s commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights in front of an audience of Ireland’s peers. However, following a well-trodden path, it has subsequently failed to initiate concrete actions on many of those commitments and is on course to miss some of its own deadlines. Most notable in this regard, is the recent acknowledgment that another year will draw to a close without Ireland ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities”.
Some 262 recommendations for substantive reform of Ireland’s laws and policies were made to Ireland during the UPR examination, including in relation to abortion rights, Traveller ethnicity, right to housing and reform of the asylum and migration process.
Commenting on the need for Government to come good on the prioritisation of human rights commitments, Ms Duffy added,
“The snail’s pace of the 32nd Dáil means that many of the specific targets set by the Government will not be met. This is a worrying development in a so-called era of ‘new politics’”.
ENDS
The full list of the 262 recommendations made to Ireland is available from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights here.
The Government’s response to the outstanding 95/97 recommendations is available in full under A/HRC/33/17/Add.1 here (ref: A/HRC/33/17/Add.1) here.