E/C.12/IRL/CO/3
Right to education
31.
The Committee is concerned at the discrimination faced by children with
disabilities, migrant children, children belonging to a religious minority, Traveller and
Roma children, including:
(a)
Legal provisions, such as section 7 of the Equal Status Act 2000, which allow
schools to give preference to admission of students based on religion;
(b)
Discriminatory criteria against children with special educational needs
contained in many admissions policies and the lack of a regulatory framework;
(c)
Adverse
the reduced number
abolition of grants to
clothing and footwear,
(arts. 13 and 14).
effects of the austerity measures on the education sector, including
of teachers, rationalization of teacher/student support services,
schools, increase in transport charges and reduced allowance for
which further restrict disadvantaged children from attending schools
The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a)
Take all the measures necessary to bring all relevant laws, including the
Equal Status Act 2000 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2015 in line with
international human rights standards and to increase the number of nondenominational schools at the primary and post-primary education levels;
(b)
Review admissions policies of all schools with a view to removing all
discriminatory criteria for enrolment and establish a regulatory mechanism to
monitor school policies, including admissions policies;
(c)
Revoke the
disadvantaged children.
austerity
measures
that
disproportionately
affect
32.
The Committee is concerned at the prevalence of Traveller children and children
with disabilities in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools action plan and their
disproportionately low level of entry to higher education. It is also concerned at the high
rate of Traveller children who leave school before the age of 15.
The Committee recommends that the State party step up its efforts to promote
inclusive education for all, including the implementation of the Education for Persons
with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, to ensure equal opportunities for all
children to quality education.
Travellers
33.
The Committee is concerned at the State party’s long-standing non-recognition of
Travellers as an ethnic minority. It is also concerned that Travellers are not included as an
ethnic minority in anti-discrimination legislation (arts. 2 (2) and 15).
The Committee recommends that the State party expedite its efforts to give
legal recognition to Travellers as an ethnic minority and include them as an ethnic
minority in anti-discrimination legislation.
Access to the Internet
34.
The Committee is concerned that people living in rural areas have limited access to
broadband Internet (art. 15).
The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its efforts to expand
broadband Internet access to rural areas.
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