A/HRC/33/17 103. Egypt welcomed the draft action plan on combating human trafficking, the criminal law bill and strengthened measures for juvenile and youth justice. It was concerned at the negative impact of austerity measures, pervasive gender inequality and domestic and sexual violence, discriminatory school admission policies, structural discrimination against Travellers and Roma, and racial crimes and incitement to racial and religious hatred. 104. Finland appreciated the open, broad consultations with civil society and encouraged continued efforts to promote the protection of economic, social and cultural rights. 105. France welcomed the efforts of Ireland since its first review. 106. Georgia highlighted the establishment of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and encouraged the continued submission of a midterm implementation report. Georgia was concerned that Ireland had not ratified some important human rights instruments. 107. Germany welcomed the lively public discourse on ongoing challenges and the active participation of civil society in the review process. 108. Ghana commended the establishment of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the integration of human rights standards, including respect for equality and non-discrimination in public institutions. Ghana appreciated initiatives on children’s access to health care. 109. Canada commended the implementation of marriage equality and encouraged timely legislative reforms for the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 110. Guatemala acknowledged the commitment of Ireland to promoting and protecting human rights and its adoption of the International Protection Act 2015. 111. Haiti noted progress in the areas of children’s rights, access to justice, national minimum wage, universal health coverage and combating domestic violence. 112. Italy noted the efforts of Ireland to strengthen children’s participation in decisionmaking and to protect children, women’s rights and women from violence. 113. Iceland highlighted the referendum approving marriage equality, but regretted the highly restrictive circumstances under which women could lawfully have an abortion in Ireland and the criminalization of abortion in cases of rape, incest and threat to a woman’s health. 114. Brazil commended legislation ensuring same-sex marriage and ongoing measures to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. Brazil encouraged Ireland to consider developing programmes to address housing needs, especially those of persons in vulnerable situations and persons affected by poverty. 115. For Ireland, the universal periodic review was a practical expression of the fact that human rights were not solely of domestic concern, but a legitimate and important concern for the international community. Ireland was committed to ongoing improvement in the protection and promotion of human rights and was convinced that everyone could learn and benefit from dialogue with other States. 116. Ireland was engaged in a consultative process to identify institutional mechanisms for the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and would ratify it as soon as they were agreed and the necessary legislation had been enacted. Significant improvements had been made to prison accommodation and the practice of “slopping out” in prisons was being brought to an end. GE.16-12337 11