Ireland's Fifth through Seventh Report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Abstract

Ireland has significant obligations under the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). In this paper, I analyse the degree to which Ireland complies with its freely accepted international human rights obligations as it pertains to persons seeking refugee status or subsidiary protection in Ireland. Ireland must provide significantly more information on the operation of the International Protection Act 2015, and the delays in determining whether a person is entitled to refugee or subsidiary protection. The system of direct provision needs to be examined more fully in the State's draft report, and this paper argues that the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of asylum seekers must be fully protected in Ireland. The rights of separated children, and aged-out separated children, must be given particular attention in Ireland's Draft CERD Report. Finally, the issue of asylum seeking women who wish to access abortion abroad must be effectively protected in order for Ireland to comply with its obligations under CERD.