ICCL is researching how victims of crime in Ireland experience the criminal justice system and developing training to improve how they are supported
ICCL calls for robust Oireachtas scrutiny of legislation allowing Gardai use of new surveillance technology
1 February 2023 ICCL has written to the Minister for Justice this week outlining its concerns ahead of Dáil debate today The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) is deeply concerned about some elements of the proposed Garda Síochána (Recording …
ICCL Expresses Disappointment at Lack of Investment in Human Rights Infrastructure in Budget
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/ 28 September 2022 The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has expressed disappointment that the government has chosen not to invest in areas identified by ICCL that would help protect and guarantee human rights in its Budget 2023. …
ICCL submission on the Garda Síochána (Digital Recordings) Bill
August 2021 This submission examines the Garda Síochána (Digital Recording) Bill, through thelens of privacy rights, data protection, the right to non-discrimination and the right toa fair trial. ICCL has identified a number of weaknesses in the legislation which giverise …
ICCL CALLS FOR €8.6 MILLION INVESTMENT IN CRITICAL HUMAN RIGHTS INFRASTRUCTURE IN BUDGET 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/ Call for Government to invest 0.01% of Budget in Human Rights 5 September 2022 As the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) launches our pre-budget submission, we are calling on the government to ring-fence €8.6 million …
ICCL event on strengthening procedural rights in police custody: audio and visual recordings. 
As part of our EU- funded project – From law to practice: Strengthening procedural rights in police custody – on 19th and 20th July 2022 ICCL hosted a regional consultation. Police, government officials, defence lawyers, forensic psychiatrists, experts in technology and …
Tribute to Dr Vicky Conway
20 July 2022 ICCL has learned with great sadness about the death of our friend and colleague Dr Vicky Conway. Vicky was a brilliant and ground-breaking academic who made an enormous contribution to Irish law. Vicky was also committed to …
Call for radical overhaul of police accountability and intelligence oversight
24 March 2022 Two leading human rights organisations on the island will today call for better oversight of police intelligence. With key reform legislation before the Oireachtas, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and Committee on the Administration of …
Rights News 2021: 45 years of the human rights movement in Ireland
14 January 2022 As Ireland grapples with the challenges posed by a global pandemic and government responses to that, we bring you an update on ICCL’s work since February 2021. Not only that, we celebrate 45 years since ICCL was …
ICCL submission on the Garda Powers Bill
ICCL made a submission to the Oireachtas Justice Committee on the new Garda Powers Bill. While we welcome the initiative in codifying police powers, we have serious concerns about some new powers and the impact they will have on rights. …
New garda powers include power to arrest for minor offences and detention beyond 24 hours
7 December 2021 A new Bill to introduce a general power of arrest and to remove the 24-hour limit to detention for questioning will come before the Oireachtas Justice Committee on Wednesday. The Bill will seek to limit access to …
Rights group says strengthening of oversight essential to garda reform
15 October 2021 The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) is set to tell the Oireachtas Justice Committee that proposals for improved garda oversight are essential to the garda reform process and must not be watered down. Proposals on the …
Call for Government to invest 0.01% of Budget in Human Rights
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/ Call for Government to invest 0.01% of Budget in Human Rights 7 October 2021 As the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) launches our first ever pre-budget submission, we are calling on the government to ring-fence …
Where Everyone is Safe: ICCL launches new anti-torture campaign
1 October 2020 This Friday, 2 October 2020, marks 13 years since Ireland signed but did not ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture (OPCAT). That is 13 years where Ireland has promised to prevent torture and …
What does the programme for government mean for human rights?
15 June 2020 The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has welcomed significant advances for human rights in the (draft) programme for government published today. We especially welcome the commitments to end Direct Provision and bring in a law to …
Four of the major parties commit wholeheartedly to human rights
4 February 2020 Four of the major parties contesting General Election 2020 have committed to ICCL’s 8 straightforward but crucial asks which would advance the cause of human rights in Ireland if implemented. Sinn Féin, the Green Party, the Social …
ICCL asks candidates to commit to 8 straightforward human rights advances
14 January 2019 Email your local candidates in support of ICCL’s 8 asks Update: See if your candidates have endorsed human rights: The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) today launched its Election 2020 Manifesto. The human rights organisation has …
ICCL still unafraid to take on the State says director
Dublin, 29 December 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/ The director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Liam Herrick, has said that a note written by a Department of Justice official in 1980 reflects the culture of suspicion and lack of …
Body-worn cameras for Gardaí would breach privacy and trust
Dublin, 31 October 2019 The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has said that the use of body-worn cameras by An Garda Síochana is likely to breach privacy rights, affect a range of other rights and hinder community policing. In …
ICCL brings Dara Quigley case to Justice Committee
Dublin, 22 October The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) will appear before the Oireachtas Justice Committee on Wednesday 23 October at 9am. The rights group will demand that the government act to ensure that what happened to Dara Quigley, …