On Monday 22 June the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights published its concluding observations in relation to the Irish State’s record under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The Irish State was examined by the UN Committee on the 8 and 9 June in Geneva.
The Committee’s concluding observations drew on the considerable evidence and information provided by Irish civil society organisations, reports furnished by the State and the State responses to the Committee’s questioning over two days in Geneva. During the two day hearing in Geneva, the State Delegation was continually questioned with regard to their progress in vindicating and protecting the rights contained in the covenant during the financial crisis despite the imposition of austerity measures. The concluding observations indicated that austerity measures have been disproportionately focused and have had a significant adverse impact on the entire population, particularly on disadvantaged and marginalised groups and individuals.
Generally, the concluding observations emphasised the particular need for access to appropriate domestic remedies for breaches of obligations under the Covenant. The State was also encouraged to identify a minimum social protection floor for all covenant rights. Furthermore, the Committee outlined that austerity measures should be gradually phased out and that a review of the tax regime should take place to restore public services and social benefits.
The concluding observations also contained specific recommendations with regard to outstanding problematic issues in Ireland including the housing crisis, the restrictive nature of Irish abortion legislation and the inadequacy of the investigation into the Magdalene Laundries. In addition to these, the observations also discussed 28 broad ranging issues from education and health services to discrimination in a number of domains. On these issues the committee made 45 recommendations, on what has been described as a clear blueprint for government action.
The concluding observations did welcome a number of positive aspects with regard to the State’s record under the Covenant. Of particular note, the Committee welcomed the recent passing of the Marriage Equality Referendum and the signing by the Irish State of the Optional Protocol to the Covenant. It is now incumbent on the State to consider and implement the recommendations or in the alternative to demonstrate why it is not suitable to implement them. Ireland will be requested to submit its next report to the Committee on 30 June 2020.
Click here for full Concluding Observations.
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