International report reveals Ireland neglecting human rights commitments

In the Centre for Economic and Social Rights' (CESR) report entitled Mauled by the Celtic Tiger: Human Rights in Ireland's Economic Meltdown, it states that Ireland has "disregarded its commitments under international human rights law" in relation to how it has handled the economic recession. The CESR is an international human rights organisation whose main objective is to promote social justice through human rights.

In addition, the report also highlights that the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014 has introduced "drastic cuts in social expenditures" as opposed to implementing "progressive tax reforms." Moreover, principles of human rights have been largely omitted from Ireland's recovery measures. The report states that "the Government is not taking all necessary steps to comply with its international obligations to respect, protect and fulfil economic and social rights." Bulletin readers may recall that a member of the International Monetary Fund/European Central Bank/European Commission "Troika" called on the Irish government to protect the most vulnerable while implementing the bail-out programme.

The report added that a human rights assessment should be carried out with regard to economic policies since 2007. The report also recommends that Ireland should adopt a national action plan on human rights and those international human rights standards should be incorporated into national legislation.

In a letter to PILA enclosing the report, the CESR state that their research concludes "that creditor countries and the inter-governmental bodies they cooperate through, such as the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund have played a key role in shaping Ireland's responses to the crisis may also be in breach of their international human rights."

Click here to see an article by the Irish Times on the report.

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