Tell the real story on ESC rights!

In 1989 Ireland signed and ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)  and is due to be examined by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural rights in 2015.

This UN Committee will review the Government’s progress on protecting, respecting and fulfilling people's basic rights on key issues such as education, health, housing, social security, workers’ rights, employment, protection of families and cultural life.

In light of this examination and as a legal rights body that champions the use of law for the benefit of marginalised and disadvantaged people in Ireland, FLAC intends to submit an independent report that ‘shadows’ the State’s report. It will present a stand-alone view of how the State has honoured its obligations under the International Covenant.This Shadow Report will be considered by the UN Committee during the Irish government’s examination next year. We hope to help influence the List of Issues for consideration by the UN Committee and the questions to be raised with the Government in advance of its examination.

To get a good sense of the issues affecting groups on the ground, in May FLAC held general public consultations in Dublin, Cork and Galway as well as two Dublin-based thematic consultations on cross-cutting issues: housing and social security. We thank all the groups and individuals who came along and made such valuable contributions!

For those who couldn't make it to the meetings, the final deadline for written submissions is Friday 30 May. 

Campaign Resources

• To help you put together your contribution to the Shadow Report, you can read our detailed questionnaire which breaks down the various issues by Covenant article.
• Amnesty International Ireland has also prepared an excellent guide to Shadow Reporting under ICESCR.
• The Irish Human Rights Commission held a conference in May 2014 with a number of very useful contributions on a variety of economic, social and cultural rights.
• The Irish State Report (2012) on which the government will be examined is also available.

More resources will be available shortly.

Take Action

Send us your submissions - they don't have to be long or complicated - so we can tell the real story on human rights in Ireland! Remember: We need them by 30 May to write them up for our draft report.

We'll be meeting groups and individuals again after the draft is finished in June to get a final comment on our planned report.