LATEST NEWS:

24 January Report to show immigrant residents face routine discrimination when accessing social protection. Irish human rights organisations have come together to compile a report that examines the barriers that are experienced by immigrant residents of Ireland when they apply for social protection. The report is scheduled to be launched by Noeleen Blackwell of FLAC, the Free Legal Advice Centre, on the 21st of February at 2.30pm in Buswell’s Hotel, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. It is based on a sample of the experiences of 54 immigrant applicants accessing social protection, which were provided by six NGOs nationwide. The report, “Person or Number?: Barriers facing immigrants accessing social protection in Ireland,” is jointly published by Crosscare Migrant Project, Doras Luimní and Nasc, the Irish Immigrant Support Centre, with an introduction by the Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly.

24 January Immigrants and their advocates are awaiting what we understand is the imminent publication of a revised Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill. Here's a very brief reminder of the main issues that human rights groups had with the previous government's version: NGO Coalition Briefing Paper on the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill 2010.

12 January We are recruiting legal interns: Click here for job description of position under Jobs Bridge, and here for description of the position offered under our own internship scheme.

06 January Great news! The guidelines for assessing eligibility for social housing for immigrants in Ireland have been revised. We very strongly welcome the new guidelines, which are much fairer; for example, the entitlement of the family that featured in our case study in the Examiner will be recognised now. We have posted the circular outlining the new guidelines here. BIG thanks to PILA, to Neil Maddox BL, and to Jennifer Hough of the Irish Examiner for working with us on this one!

04 January The Language Centre in UCC is offering FREE English classes: Dates of course: 13.01.12 to 16.03.12., 9-11am on Wednesdays and Fridays, for pre-Intermediate and upper-Intermediate. Email y.ose@ucc.ie or r.flynn@ucc.ie, or phone 021-4903248. The lessons are taught by trainee CELTA teachers. There is a registration fee of 20 Euro, except for students coming via Nasc.

21 December Volunteers are working hard to help us provide Polish translations of our information.

20 December Our YouTube channel is up and running! Check it out to view our two short films: "Better Together with Nasc - Bringing Families Together," recently shortlisted for the 2011 Better Together Video competition and "Together Again," a short film in three parts about family reunification in Ireland.

15 December We have reviewed our year: read about the highlights and low points of 2011, and about our plans for 2012. Thanks for your support in 2011, and don't forget, our future is in your hands, so don't forget us this Christmas!

14 December On the 6th of December last we were delighted to read that "guidance regarding access to social housing by non-Irish nationals was under review and updated rules would be issued to local authorities shortly," in a piece by Jennifer Hough in today's Irish Examiner, "Nasc: Non-EU workers kept off of housing list." If you are interested in how case work and advocacy like this works, read the story behind the story, here.

08 December The Irish Examiner ran a story on the 5th of December about a study that was published in The Irish Psychiatrist: "Asylum seekers claim centre is like a prison." Read our letter to the editor in response, about the state's continuing failure to protect asylum seekers and their children in from abuse and neglect in residential institutions.

01 December In June 2011 the Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter, T.D. announced that there would be a reform of the citizenship application process in Ireland. The Minister committed to reducing the processing times and changing the application forms to make the process easier. Since the Minister made this announcement, significant changes have indeed been made. The application forms and the documents required for the application have changed twice and an application fee of €175 was recently introduced. This has caused some confusion amongst those who have already submitted their citizenship applications as well as those who are considering applying for Irish citizenship. A number of these issues have repeatedly come to the attention of Nasc’s Legal Clinic through phone calls and visits from worried applicants. We would like to take the opportunity to address some of the more Frequently Asked Questions

25 Nov This month we also prepared a submission on Ireland’s third periodic report to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. This Committee was established in 1985 to supervise the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, part of the International Bill of Human Rights.

25 Nov The government has been asked to demonstrate its genuine commitment to equality and human rights by organisations who have made submissions to it in advance of the merger of the Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission. Nasc’s submission is here, and read more about this on www.eracampaign.org.