Community Action Network (CAN) and the Centre for Housing Law, Rights and Policy Research in the National University of Ireland, Galway have launched a submission on Ireland’s ‘16th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter’.
The submission is in response to the National Report of the Irish Government on its implementation of provisions in thematic Group 4, ‘Children, Families and Migrants’, for the period 2014 – 2017. The submission specifically addresses the recent Collective Complaint where Ireland was found in violation of Article 16 of the Charter for failing to ensure the right to housing of an adequate standard for families living in local authority estates. The submission highlights the omission of the Government to include in its National Report progress since the decision on the Complaint was delivered in October 2017. CAN and the Centre were both involved in taking the Complaint.
As part of the submission, last year CAN surveyed residents in 13 local authority estates which found that 75% had mould and over 35% reported sewage and pest invasion. A further 70% of homes are cold and hard to heat, 35% complain of overcrowding and over 20% have been informed by a doctor that their health is adversely affected by their housing conditions.
The paper makes a number of recommendations, including the need for an independent complaints mechanism and a full Government review of the current housing stock.
Click here for more information on the Collective Complaint.
Click here for the submission, Comments on Ireland’s 16th National Report on the Implementation of the European Social Charter.
Click here for Irish Times coverage.