Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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42. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps that his Department has taken to address the issues raised in the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission report to the Council of Europe regarding the State's lack of implementation of the European Social Charter. [53833/22]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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My Department coordinates Ireland’s annual National Reports under the Council of Europe’s Revised European Social Charter and submitted the 19th National Report on the implementation of the Charter in December 2021. The Report focused on the accepted provisions under the thematic group “Labour Rights”.

As in 2019 and 2020, State Parties were invited to limit their reports to replies on specific and targeted questions from the Council of Europe’s European Committee of Social Rights.

The comments of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) on Ireland’s 19th National Report submitted to the Council of Europe were received in July 2022 and my Department coordinated Ireland’s response to the issues raised in consultation with other relevant Departments.

The specific issues raised by IHREC are wide-ranging and diverse and it would not be possible in this reply to provide the Deputy with the full extent of issues arising and Ireland's response including steps being taken. Ireland’s response to the issues raised by IHREC is available on the Council of Europe’s website and I am happy to forward a copy of this report to the Deputy.

The European Committee of Social Rights will consider IHREC’s Report and the Irish Government’s response to it as part of its overall assessment of Ireland’s 19th National Report.

The Committee’s conclusions on Ireland’s 19th National Report are expected to be adopted and published in early 2023.