Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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350. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason Ireland has not signed up to Article 31 of the European Social Charter; the work being undertaken to ensure that ratification of this article is being progressed; and when Ireland will be in a position to ratify the article. [15739/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Ireland ratified the Revised European Social Charter on 4 November 2000. At that time Ireland accepted 92 of the 98 paragraphs of the Revised Charter. Three of those paragraphs not accepted by Ireland make up Article 31, which relates to the right to housing.

The issue of the right to housing was debated in Dáil Eireann and Seanad Éireann in September 2017.  Arising from this, a motion to refer the Eighth Report of the Convention on the Constitution, which dealt with economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to housing, to the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach was passed by the Dáil on 28 September 2017 and by the Seanad on 11 October 2017.

The matter of ratifying Article 31 of the Revised European Social Charter will be considered further after the Joint Committee has considered the matter.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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351. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the recent report of the UN special rapporteur (details supplied) on the right to adequate housing; his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15769/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I assume the Deputy is referring to the Joint Communication from the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council dated 22 March 2019, which has been received by my Department.

A response to this communication is currently being prepared in my Department in coordination with the Department of Finance and the Department of Foreign Affairs.