CAT/C/IRL/CO/2
of a ministerial order ending the sentencing of children to adult prisons in Ireland, on 7
April 2017;
(d)
The publication of the report of the Commission of Investigation into the
death of Gary Douch, on 1 May 2014, and the submission of the implementation plan to the
ministers in September 2014; the development of the 2015-2018 Strategic Plan for the
Travellers in Prison Initiative; and the launching of the Irish Prison Service Strategic Plan
2016-2018 envisaging the elimination of slopping out and the modernization of Limerick
prison and “Block E” of Portlaoise prison;
(e)
The adoption of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act to support the
needs of survivors of residential institutional abuse, in 2012; the publication of the report of
the Inter-Departmental Committee to establish the facts of State involvement with the
Magdalen laundries, known as the McAleese report, on 5 February 2013; the apology made
in parliament (Dáil) by the Prime Minister of Ireland (Taoiseach), Enda Kenny, to the
survivors of residential institutional abuse, on 19 February 2013; the establishment of the
Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (Caranua), in March 2013; the publication of the
report of Mr. Justice John Quirke on the establishment of an ex gratia scheme for the
benefit of women who were admitted to and worked in the Magdalen laundries, in May
2013; the establishment of the Commission of Investigation into the Mother and Baby
Homes and Certain Related Matters, in February 2015; and the adoption of the Redress for
Women Resident in Certain Institutions Act 2015, providing health services free of charge
to former Magdalen women, from 1 July 2015;
(f)
The rolling out of An Garda Síochána victim service offices to 28 Garda
divisions, in 2015; and the launching on 20 January 2016 of the National Strategy on
Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2016-2021;
(g)
The establishment of the Citizens’ Assembly to consider a number of issues,
including abortion laws, in 2016;
(h)
The adoption of the Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Act, on 2
April 2012; and the Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against
Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act, which entered into force in August 2012;
(i)
The adoption of the Child and Family Act, regarding protection and welfare
services, in 2013; the establishment of the Child and Family Agency, on 1 January 2014;
and the adoption of the Children First Act 2015, which removed the defence of “reasonable
chastisement” from the laws regarding assaults on children;
(j)
The adoption of the International Protection Act 2015, replacing the Refugee
Act 1996; and the introduction of the Immigration Guidelines for Victims of Domestic
Violence by the Irish Naturalization and Immigration Service, in 2012;
(k)
The adoption of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, which enables members
of the Garda to make disclosures to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission; and the
Garda Síochána Amendment Act 2015, expanding the remit and powers of the Commission;
(l)
The adoption of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act, in 2015.
5.
The Committee welcomes the standing invitation extended by Ireland to the mandate
holders of all thematic special procedures of the Human Rights Council and the statement
made by its delegation during the constructive dialogue with the Committee that Ireland
would agree to a visit by the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice,
reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence.
C.
Principal subjects of concern and recommendations
Pending follow-up questions from the previous reporting cycle
6.
In paragraph 33 of its previous concluding observations (CAT/C/IRL/CO/1), the
Committee requested Ireland to provide further information regarding areas of particular
concern identified by the Committee. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State
party for providing information to the Committee on these issues (CAT/C/IRL/CO/1/Add.1
2