Independent TD Thomas Pringle will bring a Bill before the Dáil to have economic, social and cultural rights enshrined in the Constitution.
Deputy Pringle’s bill, Thirty-Seventh Amendment of The Constitution (Economic, Social And Cultural Rights) Bill 2018, will be subject to a Dáil vote this Thursday.
This is the third time that Deputy Pringle has introduced a Private Members Bill that would constitutionalise economic, social and cultural rights.
Deputy Pringle said: “This bill would strengthen the rights of Irish citizens to hold the Government to account for how the State manages affairs and put the people of Ireland at the centre of Government.
“I hope people will contact their TDs to encourage them to support this bill.”
Deputy Pringle said his bill has received “strong support across opposition parties and members” who last month joined him in voicing opposition to a Government amendment to delay a second reading of the bill for 18 months “to allow for greater analysis”.
Deputy Pringle said: “Eighty-five per cent of the Constitutional Convention agreed these rights need Constitutional protection. Why have governments failed to act?”
“When the Troika came to Portugal, they weren’t able to attack their social housing rights because they were under constitutional protection. That’s what we need in Ireland.”
Deputy Pringle is also urging the public to sign an online petition in support of the bill. The petition is here: https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/support-the-economic-social-cultural-rights-referendum-bill-1
