A major conference this week will assess 20 years of progress towards equality for women in Ireland and investigate how much more needs to be done.

A large number of state agencies, including the Equality Authority, have no employees with a disability despite a statutory target that they should account for at least 3% of their workforces.

The Government was “conscious of the danger” of offering redress for Magdalene survivors just months before setting up the McAleese inquiry to investigate the issue.

The Irish Human Rights Commission has intervened in an extradition case of a man wanted to face international terrorism charges in the US.

The Ombudsman for Children is investigating the contracting out of residential childcare services by the Child and Family Agency to the private sector.

Children’s Ombudsman Emily Logan has been widely welcomed as the new head of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.

Asylum seekers are facing "systemic and pernicious" delays in having their applications processed, resulting in years of their lives being wasted, the national human rights body has warned.

Unlike the people they have put under surveillance, the gardaí in charge of such activities are not being watched closely enough. More regulation is required, says Wexford TD Mick Wallace.

The State’s human rights watchdog has recommended a tightening of the rules for Garda covert surveillance operations.

The Garda Ombudsman should be empowered to investigate poor standards of policing, inspect Garda stations uninhibited, and commence its own inquiries.

A surrogate who gave birth to twins using genetic material of a couple must, as a matter of law, remain registered as the mother of those children on their birth certificates or there will be “massive” and “radical” consequences, the State has argued before the Supreme Court.

The ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in favour of a woman sexually abused in primary school could cost the State millions in follow-on claims.

The new chief adviser to President Michael D Higgins is to have a salary just below the Government wage cap following the abrupt departure of his better paid predecessor.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter expressed his frustration yesterday at the failure of Cabinet colleague Brendan Howlin to agree to the staffing and budget details for the State’s new human rights and equality body.

The Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission are looking to take part in a Supreme Court appeal against a landmark surrogacy ruling.

Departing ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has slammed the Government’s record on human rights and equality, accusing ministers of cowardice on funding decisions.

The outgoing Ombudsman has launched a stinging criticism of the Justice Minister and his department.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN put it succinctly when he declared that “those who would sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither”.

A leading human rights campaigner has said there is “something very wrong” with how this country was addressing homelessness following the gruesome death of a Polish man.

A barrister who has represented victims of the Magdalene Laundries as a law student has been awarded a prestigious legal accolade in Britain.

The Human Rights and Equality Commission must have a robust independence, writes Katherine Zappone

A woman seeking an abortion in Ireland, especially those at risk of suicide, should not be subjected to up to four examinations by doctors as this could “unduly increase her risk of mental anguish”, according to leading human rights experts.

There was a mixed reaction among Magdalene Laundry survivors and representative groups to the recommendations in the Quirke Report.

A commission of inquiry into State involvement in the Magdalene Laundries should still be established by the Government because the focus of the McAleese report was too narrow, a leading human rights group has claimed.

Comprehensive compensation is needed for survivors of Magdalene laundries including unpaid wages and pensions and rehab for forced labour, a watchdog has claimed.

The group Magdelene Survivors Together is calling for the urgent publication of a report commissioned to examine possible supports for the women.

Kathleen Whelan was one of about a dozen former Magdalene laundry survivors who travelled to Cork’s City Hall to meet the Lord Mayor as he signed a book of apologies for the women.

The highest court in Ireland will today rule if a terminally-ill woman can end her life with assistance.

A terminally ill Irish woman will take her landmark case for assisted suicide to Europe if she loses her appeal, supporters have revealed.

Advocacy experts have warned that slashing funding to interest groups could damage society and said many in the sector believed their funding was at risk if they were too critical of Government departments and State agencies.

Justice for Magdalenes (JFM) has expressed hope that the McAleese report published later today will lead to an apology and redress for those who suffered in the Magdalene Laundries.

Campaigners fear many of the survivors of the Magdalene laundries will be dead before the State compensates the estimated 1,000 women who were locked up by the nuns.

Many believe that it was the Government decision to make Senator Martin McAleese chairman of the interdepartmental group that brought the religious orders on board.

A theologian has claimed planned changes to the treatment of religious education in schools could dilute the core ethos of Catholic schools.

Statement from Bernadette Parte, solicitor for Marie Fleming: “My client Marie Fleming has asked me to say that she and Tom and her family greatly appreciate all the efforts that have been made to give Marie’s case a full and speedy hearing, given her circumstances.

Court must rule on a woman’s appeal ‘to die with dignity’, writes Ann O’Loughlin

De Valera’s Constitution of 1937 already contains two specific rights for children, though you are unlikely to know that from the partial information emanating from Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald’s website and being repeated by the likes of Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore.

A young atheist from Tipperary has made an official complaint after he claimed his school forced him to attend a multi-denominational prayer service.

The State’s human rights watchdog wants the Government to row back on plans for mandatory vetting of all people working with children and vulnerable adults.

A new body which will replace the Equality Authority must remain approachable, supportive, and be clearly available to everybody, particularly in a time of economic challenge when vulnerable people were at the greatest risk of discrimination, its outgoing chairwoman has warned.

The Irish Human Rights Commission has expressed concern about its future independence under controversial plans by the Government to merge the organisation with the Equality Authority.

The Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has today welcomed a new report by a Government working group on its merger with the Equality Authority.

DEAR Tánaiste,I wanted to congratulate you on a really good speech to the party conference at the weekend.

Plans to overhaul the system of religious patronage in primary schools was broadly welcomed yesterday, with many claiming it was merely the start of a process of change.