Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission launches Healthcare and Protocol Article 2 research

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) has launched new research on 'Brexit, Health, and its Impact on Article 2 of the Ireland/NI Protocol’.

The research, authored by Professor Tamara Hervey, Jean Monnet Professor of EU Law at the City Law School, University of London, was launched at an event opened by Eilis Haughey, Director (Human Rights after EU Withdrawal) at NIHRC, and chaired by Professor Tobias Lock, Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law and Fundamental Rights, Maynooth University.

Healthcare is a key area of continuing concern in relation to Brexit. This is due to the integrated nature of health provision on the island of Ireland, including the all-island facilities and cross-border services, and the intricacies of the Common Travel Area. The research has identified several areas of concern which the Commission intends to explore further.

The event provided an important opportunity to consider the ‘no diminution’ commitment of Protocol Article 2 in a healthcare context, before discussing next steps to protect the right to healthcare.

You can read the full research report here.

The research is part of a wider body of research being published by NIHRC and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland as we work to identify what Protocol Article 2 means in practice and to use our mandate to protect rights effectively.

We recently launched research - ‘Human Trafficking and Article 2 of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol’ which you can read here.