Fair work and labour rights the focus of Dublin conference

Fair work and labour rights will be the focal points of an international conference today.

Last year the United Nations adopted a new agenda for sustainable development goals around poverty, health, gender equality, education and environmental sustainability.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and Trinity College will host the seminar looking at the agenda and how to implement it globally.

David Joyce from ICTU said many people around the world were still living in poverty.

He said: "Roughly half the world's population still lives on the equivalent of about $2 a day. In too many places, having a job doesn’t even guarantee the ability to escape from poverty.

"That lack of decent work leads to an erosion of a basic social contract underlying our democracy."