The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has written individually to the leaders of each of the Irish political parties to urge them to ensure that human rights and equality are central to the next Programme for Government. It is very welcome that one of the...
The UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture has issued advice for state parties and national preventative mechanisms on how to adhere to their OPCAT commitments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The subcommittee reminded state parties that the prohibition of torture and...
In its submission to the Committee Against Torture on the list of issues for the Third Examination of Ireland, IHREC has named the failure to ratify OPCAT as one of its key concerns. One of the focuses of the submission is on safeguards in and independent oversight of...
In its submission to the UN Committee Against Torture (CAT), IPRT reviewed Ireland’s progress since the CAT’s Concluding Remarks in 2017, and noted several recommendations of the Committee which Ireland has yet to implement. This includes the CAT’s recommendation to...
The Dublin Inquirer has published an opinion piece by ICCL executive director Liam Herrick on the need for independent inspection of Garda holding cells. While some safeguards are in place, such as the existence of various oversight bodies like the Garda Inspectorate,...
Inspector of Prisons Patricia Gilheaney has called for the government to continue progressing the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill in the Annual Report of the Office of the Inspector of Prisons. This piece of legislation, which was approved by the government in...
