SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This article considers the human rights implications of government moves to introduce greater private for profit involvement in the Irish health care system. It is argued that such a policy development is likely to conflict the states international human rights obligations, in particular the right to health under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as greater privatisation tends towards the availability of access to health care on a discriminatory manner. Furthermore, such a move may also be considered retrogressive from the perspective of international human rights law.