When I was poor and I complained about inequality people said I was bitter, now I’m rich and I complain about inequality they say I’m a hypocrite. I’m beginning to think they just don’t want inequality on the agenda because it is a real problem that needs to be addressed.
Russell Brand, actor, entertainer and author of Revolution
The right to equality encompasses social and economic rights which are implied and un-enumerated rights in our Constitution. These rights should be protected in legislation which will address the issues of poverty
We respect women’s right to bodily autonomy and self-determination. We will campaign for repeal of the 8th amendment and we will legislate for abortion in Ireland.
We stand for the separation of church and state in education, health and other areas while affording due respect for those people who wish to practice their religion.
Many people still face workplace and service-related discrimination based on disability, gender, age, colour, sexual orientation, Traveller status, ethnic origin, family status, marital status and religious/other beliefs. We will run major education and mobilisation campaigns to end discrimination both in the workplace and in services generally, and we will introduce stronger sanctions for breaches of equality legislation; we will repeal Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act; we will democratise the national and secondary school systems.
We will reform the work permit system to make it easier for workers to leave exploitative employment situations without threatening their immigration status.
Improving access to work for migrants, including reforming Ireland’s labour migration policy, revising the eligible categories of employment, revising the right of employees to change employer and lowering the salary threshold required for new employment permits for sectors where a shortage has been identified.
Over 4,000 people are consigned to Direct Provision centres, including over 1,500 children. Detainment in these Centres represents a form of institutional abuse that denies adults and children basic human rights. We will end the system of Direct Provision and we will ensure that the children of asylum seekers suffer no discrimination in relation to health or education due to their parent’s asylum status.
Market inequality undermines economic efficiency and social solidarity. Alongside strategies to end low-pay we will establish a High Pay Commission to propose measures to reduce income inequality.