problems in relation to housing access”. The criminalize sex workers directly and report found that some groups, including indirectly. Of particular concern was the lone parents, people with a disability and offence of “brothel-keeping”, whereby two or migrants, were particularly impacted by more sex workers risked prosecution if housing quality, overcrowding or affordability working together in a premises for safety, as issues, while housing affordability also this was considered a “brothel”. A disproportionately impacted children and government-commissioned review of the young people. It found “significant operation of the law, launched in 2020, was disadvantage in terms of adequate housing”, not completed by the end of the year. including cultural adequacy, for the Traveller community. REFUGEES’ AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS A constitutional referendum on housing In February, the government published a promised in the 2020 Programme for White Paper in which it proposed replacing Government was not scheduled. It also the widely criticized “direct provision” system remained unclear whether the government of accommodating asylum seekers with a would propose a constitutional right to human rights-compliant model by 2024. It housing in line with international human conceded that the current system did not rights standards, as recommended in 2014 respect the dignity and human rights of by a government-established Constitutional individuals. A detailed implementation plan Convention. was not published, however. Also unclear SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS was how the rights and welfare of people remaining in this system would be In September, the Abortion Rights Campaign safeguarded during the transition. published research into users’ experiences of RIGHT TO HEALTH abortion services in Ireland since access was expanded in 2019. It found negative impacts Public inquiries recommended in 2020 by a of the mandatory three-day waiting period for parliamentary committee set up to review the access to services on request up to 12 weeks government’s handling of the Covid-19 of pregnancy, and barriers to access on pandemic – including an inquiry into the high lawful grounds in later pregnancy. It revealed level of deaths of older people in nursing lack of access in cases of severe homes – were not established. The fetal impairment, which the law permits only government stated that its own review of its where the fetus will die before 28 days post- efforts would not take place until the birth. It found uneven availability of abortion pandemic ended. services around the country, difficulties in accessing information about abortion care, and negative attitudes and obstruction from some healthcare providers. Despite government commitments made in 2018, and reports of ongoing intimidation and harassment outside maternity hospitals and clinics providing abortion services, legislation was not introduced to create safety zones to protect the rights of people seeking abortion care. WORKERS’ RIGHTS Legislation enacted in 2017 that retained offences and doubled criminal penalties for aspects of sex work continued to Amnesty International Report 2021/22 206