A two-tier system has emerged as Ukrainian refugees experience "markedly different" conditions than everyone else, a new Irish Human Rights and Equality (IHREC) report has claimed.
According to their annual report, which was released today, IHREC handled 1,411 public queries on human rights and equality in 2022. According to the figures that emerged from the report, discrimination on the grounds of disability was the top public concern (for more than 40 per cent of the people).
IHREC Chief commissioner Sinead Gibney has said that the treatment that refugees from Ukraine get is different than the one refugees coming from elsewhere receive. She said: "Despite our warnings, the emergence of a two tier asylum system played out in front of our eyes – with Ukraine refugees experiencing a markedly different set of conditions to those in the wider international protection system.
“The accommodation system for those arriving to seek international protection was already a system under strain, and now it is broken. We remain deeply concerned about the conditions in which many international protection applicants are living."
Read more: Abbey Theatre condemns 'unprovoked' attack on Ukrainian actor after show
Ms Gibney called for the investment in a permanent system of accommodation for people claiming asylum in Ireland, one that respects people’s rights and dignity. She added: “The wider housing crisis persisted throughout 2022 and rising inflation and cost of living put pressure on large sections of Irish society to simply make ends meet.
"People who were unable to work due to illness or disability were and remain more at risk of poverty.”
According to the report, other public concerns included discrimination on the grounds of race (16 per cent), gender (8 per cent) and age (8 per cent) were also public concerns. When it comes to employment and job seeking the Commission received queries related to discrimination on the grounds of disability (39 per cent), and to a lesser extent - gender, race, and age.
The top three public concerns in relation to human rights focused on asylum and immigration (22 per cent), homelessness, social housing and living conditions (16 per cent), and health and bodily integrity (12 per cent).
Join our new WhatsApp community! Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox.
