Equality
The Green Party stands for an equal and just society that upholds rights and values diversity.
What we are doing for Equality
Ukraine Crisis
Ireland, along with all other EU member states, has activated the Temporary Protection Directive, which allows those fleeing Ukraine to enter the country without a visa, and enables them to access many of the same State supports as any EU citizen. Green Party Minister Roderic O'Gorman has led Ireland's emergency response that has seen the arrival of over 45,000 people from Ukraine as of the end of August 2022.
Direct Provision
The Green Party has long campaigned against Direct Provision and ending this system was a key commitment secured by the Party in the Programme for Government. In 2021, we took major steps to end direct provision when Minister Roderic O'Gorman published a White Paper to end Direct Provision and to establish a new International Protection Support Service.
The White Paper sees a radical shift in government policy, bringing in integration supports for international protection applicants from day one. The Green Party in Government is committed to creating an international protection and support service that is caring, person-centred and respects the dignity and human rights of all international protection applicants. Underpinning this reform is a "commitment that the new system will provide accommodation, health, education, income support and other service needs." We will end Direct Provision and immediately begin to create a new model that is grounded in human rights and integration.
Ireland’s new International Protection (IP) Support Service will be run on a not-for-profit basis. It will serve the needs of people who need protection, supporting people to live independently and integrate into our communities across towns and cities.
Since the publication of the White Paper, extensive work has been delivered to enable the transition to the new model of accommodation for International Protection applicants including:
- A €1m integration fund that was launched at the beginning of August 2022 to fund civil society organisations to support the integration of IP applicants.
- A dedicated webpage was launched in February 2022 where all members of the Public can find updates on the progress being made in implementing the White Paper.
The substantial number of arrivals from Ukraine has had an unavoidable impact on the implementation of the White Paper. Alongside this, there has been a substantial increase in the number of people seeking international protection. A review of the projected timelines for the project is currently underway and will be completed in the coming months.
We have seen the huge ground swell of solidarity for people in the current Direct Provision system. Irish people want to be proud of the support offered to people who come here seeking protection. In making a home here, they strengthen and enrich our communities.
Undocumented migrants
In 2021, a scheme to regularise undocumented migrants and grant status to thousands of people waiting in Direct Provision was announced, bringing certainty and peace of mind to thousands of people. This was a key commitment in the Programme for Government secured by the Green Party, which will develop a broad and accessible pathway to status for people who are already working and contributing to communities and to Irish society. Ireland prides itself on standing at the forefront of promoting and defending human rights and this commitment will finally help to ensure nobody is left outside the protection of the law.
Minister Catherine Martin’s Department has secured equal funding for male and female Gaelic games players for the first time.
Minister Roderic O’Gorman secured new equality provisions for parents, extending Adoptive Leave and Benefit to male same sex couples and allowing adoptive couples to choose which of them will avail of Adoptive Leave, with Paternity Leave and Benefit being available for the other parent.
Minister Roderic O’Gorman published landmark legislation that will provide a full and clear right of access to birth certificates, birth and early life information for all persons who were adopted, boarded out, the subject of an illegal birth registration or who otherwise have questions in relation to their origins.
