With Focus Ireland, Write to the Taoiseach and the Tainiste Reminding them of the Constitutional Convention’s ESC Rights’ Recommendation

Mike Allen, Director of Advocacy of Focus Ireland, writes: “Do you remember that earlier this year the Constitutional Convention voted overwhelmingly to recommend that the Constitution should be amended to include a right to a home? It was an important recognition for all the families in negative equity, mortgage debt, rent arrears or forced into homelessness.”

The Government seems to have forgotten. With Focus Ireland,  ATD thinks it’s time to remind them and would like your help to do so.

When the Government set up the Constitutional Convention and invited representative Irish citizens to discuss the future of the Irish Constitution, they promised they would respond to whatever recommendations the Convention made within four months.

It was back in February that the Convention invited Focus Ireland and others along to present our views on whether Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – which include the right to a home – should be included in the Constitution.

The arguments Focus Ireland put forward and other contributions as Amnesty International and the ESC Rights initiative (see  ATD’s statement) convinced the Convention.

They voted overwhelmingly in favour of such rights being in the Constitution – which would require a referendum to be achieved.

The Government’s own deadline came and went at the end of July with nothing but silence.

It is just too important an issue to be forgotten and with Focus Ireland, we are asking people who support ESC Rights to send an e-mail to the Taoiseach and Tainiste reminding them of the Convention’s recommendation, their own promise to the Convention and that for instance the right to a home is more important to Irish people now than it has ever been.

Focus Ireland has drafted a basic letter for you, which you can send as it is or amend to reflect your own priorities and experience about ESC rights.

You can send that letter from here.

We thank you in advance for your support!