Speaking after a significant poll by the Human Rights Consortium, Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast into support for a Bill of Rights Sinn Féin Equality Spokesperson Emma Sheerin said:

“These polling results demonstrate that the public strongly supports a Bill of Rights. This was an important piece of research by the Human Rights Consortium, Ulster University and Queen’s University.

“The research tells us that the public are in favour of robust and enforceable socio-economic rights within a Bill of Rights.

“For 83% of respondents, Covid-19 highlighted the importance of rights protections. These include the right to universal access to healthcare free at the point of delivery, the right to education, the right to work and guarantees that no one is unfairly discriminated against in the workplace, and the right to food.

“Rights and equality belong to everyone in our society and this polling again confirms widespread support for the kind of protections contained in a strong Bill of Rights.

“A Bill of Rights is essential to protecting citizens and completing the process of democratic transformation envisaged by the Good Friday Agreement. All of us have a stake in realising that ambition so we must all intensify our efforts to ensure it is finally achieved.”