Human rights and victims’ organisations have accused the Government of “colluding” with the “narrow agenda” of the UK by backing a proposal which they say seeks to weaken the protections of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). These include that “the scope of ‘inhuman and degrading treatment’ under Article 3 [of the ECHR] ... should be constrained to the most serious issues”. Article 3, the prohibition of torture, states that “no one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. The Council of Europe’s steering committee for human rights is meeting this week to draft a text for a political declaration on migration and the ECHR, which is due to be adopted in May. As a founding member of the Council of Europe, “Ireland fully supports its essential role in promoting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law across Europe”, it added.

Source: The Irish Times March 11, 2026 17:52 UTC