The Irish Centre for Human Rights in NUI Galway has commented in a new report that businesses should be required to undergo human rights compliance for “public procurement contracts, State investment and listings on the Irish Stock Exchange.”
The report states that there is an absence of Government policy on the issue of business and human rights. Examples cited where “businesses are impacting negatively on human rights” are technology companies connected with Syrian censorship, the Corrib dispute which involves Shell and Statoil and the working conditions in the “supply chain” for Penneys/Primark.
The report was launched by Prof Michael O’Flaherty, a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee and chief commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. He commented that “multinational companies with headquarters in Ireland are also relevant.”
Co-author of the report Dr Shane Darcy states “state representatives frequently assert Ireland’s commitment to the United Nations and human rights although the Government has yet to issue a comprehensive policy document on business and human rights.”
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