The watchdog made the recommendations as part of its response to the government’s review of the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Disclosure) Act 2016.

A more inclusive spent convictions scheme with increased sentence thresholds and a review mechanism for more serious offences would significantly aid offenders rehabilitation and reintegration into society, the commission said.

Banning discrimination on the ground of criminal conviction would reflect the impact a criminal conviction can have on someone’s life when accessing employment, housing, education and services like insurance, it added.

Commissioner Tony Geoghegan said: “The prospect of rehabilitation is linked to human dignity, promoting equality and benefits all of society.

“However, in Ireland, the current scheme is exclusionary and disproportionately impacts on specific groups, on the ground of disability, age, socio-economic status, and homelessness who have their futures stifled because of their pasts.

“I have personally worked with many men and women with histories battling drug addiction, homelessness or living with severe mental health difficulties, without adequate supports, who fell into the criminal justice system.

“Reform of the scheme must take into account the over-representation of disadvantaged groups in the criminal justice system and work to broaden access to rehabilitation and reintegration.”