Home > Report of the independent expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty in Ireland

Sepúlveda Carmona, Magdalena (2011) Report of the independent expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty in Ireland. Geneva: United Nation Human Rights Council.

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34. A number of recent measures are concerning in this respect, especially reductions in child benefits and benefits for job seekers, carers, single parent families, persons with disabilities and blind persons. The impact of these measures will be exacerbated by funding reductions for a number of social services which are essential for the same vulnerable people, including disability, community and voluntary services, Travellers supports, drug outreach initiatives, rural development schemes, the Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development (RAPID) programme and Youthreach.

35. By adopting these measures, Ireland runs a high risk of excluding those most in need of support and ignoring the needs of the most vulnerable. In particular, due to multiple forms of entrenched discrimination, women are especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of reductions in social services and benefits. The independent expert notes the commitment in the PGNR to refrain from further reducing social protection benefits,26 but urges the State to take immediate steps to put in place protections to ensure that the situation of the most excluded and disadvantaged groups do not deteriorate further as a result of these measures.


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