The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has published a landmark report on access to justice for disabled people in Ireland. The study, titled “Access to Justice: A Baseline Study of Article 13 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” was conducted by Dr Charles O’Mahony of the University of Galway and includes a policy brief with recommendations from the Commission.
The study probes the effectiveness of current Irish legislation and policy in realising UN Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Article 13 Access to justice. The study takes into account the voices and experiences of disabled people who have made attempts to access the Justice System, presenting an accurate depiction of the many barriers that disabled people have to face in order to access their legal rights. Despite recent policy and legislative changes in Ireland, disabled people still find themselves unsupported, faced with unclear processes and limited legal representation. The report found that these barriers are due to range of factors including complex legal systems, inadequate training and professional development for legal professionals as well as lack of data.
The report found that public bodies within the Irish justice system often inadequately address the needs of disabled people in their strategic plans. Therefore, they fail to reflect clear legal obligations designed to facilitate accessibility and prevent discrimination. The study additionally includes recommendations that address these failures and work towards developing a harmonised legal framework that respects the rights and dignity of disabled people.
Liam Herrick, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, said:
“The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is clear that the State must ensure effective access to justice for disabled people. This study highlights that Ireland has much work to do to ensure access to justice on an equal basis with others.
Dr Charles O’Mahony, author of the report, said:
“This report identifies the complexity of effectively realising rights for disabled people in Ireland. The literature review reveals significant gaps in the availability of training related to disability law and policy for personnel involved in administering justice.
Click here to read the report.