Liam Herrick

The civil liberties group today launched its election manifesto, which sets out “immediate goals in the larger project to shape a society where everybody’s human rights and individual freedoms are respected”.

The eight calls are for candidates to commit in the election to:

• “Establish Safe Access Zones at medical facilities so that women and pregnant people can access abortion care in privacy, safety and with dignity.”
• “Introduce Hate Crime legislation so that we all feel safer from hateful attacks.”
• “Protect our privacy and data by halting the illegal Public Services Card project.”
• “Establish a new Independent Office of the Police Ombudsman so that we can all have confidence in An Garda Síochána.”
• “Implement inspections of all places of detention in order to prevent torture behind closed doors.”
• “Establish an Ombudsman for Victims of Crime to ensure justice for victims of crime.”
• “Outlaw image-based sexual abuse to prevent non-consensual creation and/or sharing of intimate images.”
• “Reform the Electoral Act to allow civil society organisations to function without fear.”

ICCL director Liam Herrick said: “These are straightforward reforms which would have a huge impact on the rights of countless individuals. For example, hate crime legislation would send a strong message to far-right actors that, as a society, we won’t tolerate actions motivated by hatred or prejudice.

“Allowing independent inspections of pyschiatric institutions, and other places of detention like nursing homes and direct provision centres, could help protect some of the most vulnerable in our society from possible torture. Safe zones would immediately protect the privacy and healthcare rights of women at a time of crisis.”