Ihrec

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has been awarded the highest level of UN accreditation possible for national human rights institutions. Following a detailed review of its work, achievements, institutional independence and processes, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institu

A single mother-of-two who was refused access to the one parent family payment on the basis she failed to satisfy the habitual residence condition has succeeded in a review with support from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. The Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) overturned the refus

Two human rights groups will discuss Traveller-specific accommodation issues today at a meeting with the joint Oireachtas committee on key issues affecting the Traveller community. The committee will hear from representatives from the Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC) and the Irish Human Rights and E

Government ministers should make an annual Dáil statement on how Ireland is meeting its human rights obligations for disabled people, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has said. Chief commissioner Sinéad Gibney told the Oireachtas disability matters committee that she is i

Young people, people with disabilities, Travellers and East European migrants are at much higher risk of disadvantage around employment and have less access to "decent work" in Ireland, a new report has found. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the Economic and Social Research Instit

Ireland's human rights and equality watchdog has been granted permission to intervene in a criminal appeal concerning fair trial rights in the Special Criminal Court. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission will exercise its amicus curiae function in DPP v. RK and LM, which is coming before t

Asylum seekers can now open a bank account with Bank of Ireland following an intervention by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. The rights watchdog exercised its statutory powers through a formal process called an equality review, which has led to a change in the bank's policies.

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has set out concerns that a new law being prepared to build online safety and strengthen media regulation, has no detail on the role or functions of a proposed new Online Safety Commissioner. The Commission has also set out its analysis that the current

An Post will pay €18,000 in compensation to an employee who was discriminated against on the basis of her age after withdrawing its appeal to the Labour Court. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) concluded in March 2020 that An Post had discriminated against the woman on the grounds of age

The Irish government has "repeatedly blurred the boundary between legal requirements and public health guidance" in its response to the Covid-19 response, according to new research. The critical report, published today by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, also warns that the delegation

Ireland's human rights watchdog has been granted permission to act as amicus curiae in a case concerning the National Driving Licence Service’s (NDLS) refusal to permit asylum seekers to exchange their foreign driving licences for Irish ones. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has

Women and families affected by mother and baby homes should play a key role in drafting a new law to provide dignified burials for victims left in mass graves, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has said. The rights watchdog has provided an Oireachtas committee with 25 specific recommend

New legislation will have to be passed by the Oireachtas before any naturalised Irish citizens can be stripped of their citizenship following a Supreme Court ruling. Having ruled last year that sections 19(2) and (3) of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 are repugnant to the constitution

Proposed legislation allowing for physician-assisted dying in Ireland requires "further safeguards", the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has said. The rights watchdog today published its analysis and recommendations to the Oireachtas justice committee on the Dying with Dignity Bill 2020,

The Supreme Court has issued a "very significant" ruling in a case focusing on the medical treatment of an 11-year-old boy who suffered life-changing neurological injuries, Ireland's human rights watchdog has said. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission exercised its amicus curiae function i