The Chairperson of the Equality Authority Angela Kerins, launched their 2010 Annual Report today in Dublin. The report shows a continuing demand for the Authority’s services with queries in relation to employment equality remaining high despite a significant reduction in the number of people covered by the legislation given the rise in unemployment.
Speaking at the launch, Ms Kerins highlighted the importance of continuing to promote equality, by maximising the resources available as a key element of Ireland’s economic recovery, “Foreign direct investment will play an important role in Ireland’s growth and the country must be able to offer a place where overseas companies who are willing to invest in Ireland are comfortable placing their staff. Multinationals need to perceive Irish society as pro-equality and pro-diversity”.
“In coming years, further austerity measures will likely impact on the resources available to promote equality in Ireland and we therefore need to be certain that the available resources are used to their best. We need to ensure that we are in a position to achieve and maintain greater equality and eliminate discrimination in an economically challenged environment.”
“It is essential that all of the agencies involved in promoting and supporting equality in Ireland, both statutory and non statutory, are working towards nationally identified goals, are operating together in a coordinated way and are avoiding duplication of effort. An overall national strategy for equality and a national framework would better identify the resources available to the sector, identify everyone’s part and define outcomes. I would urge the government to consider this as part of its economic revival.”
Focusing on some of the successes in the field of equality in the past year, Ms Kerins highlighted the landmark change in Irish societal attitudes which was marked by the historic passing of the Civil Partnership Act, “In the very recent past, there has been enormous change in Irish law with the introduction of the Civil Partnership Act and the first civil partnerships this year. This development is a source of enormous pride for Ireland. It was about time but it was also the right time for this legislative stride to be taken”, she said.
However, she also highlighted the Equality Authority’s work in an area where there is a need for a development in Irish equality legislation. Equal marriage remains a goal for the Equality Authority and this is an issue not only for the couple but also for their children. “The make-up of families in Ireland has transformed in the last number of decades. It is important that our legislation keeps up with these changes. The best interests of children require that the diversity of parenting and family arrangements be acknowledged in family law, so that the rights and responsibilities of both the father and the mother and all those in a parenting role are appropriately recognised.”
“The planned referendum on children’s rights offers an opportunity to promote a national debate in relation to the rights of children and their families. I would urge the Government to take courageous steps in this area to ensure that every child and every family is recognised and supported equally.”
Background to Annual Report 2010:
The Equality Authority launched its Annual Report 2010 which demonstrated a meeting of targets set out in its Strategic Plan 2009-2011. The combined information queries target of 8000 enquiries from the public was surpassed by 345, but significantly there was a substantial increase in enquiries under the equality legislation. The Equality Authority provides information on equality legislation and a range of family leaves (Maternity, Parental and Adoptive). The Family leave ‘cluster’ previously made up between 54% and 58% of our enquiry base, but in 2010, Equality enquiries reached in excess of 59% of the total enquiry base, despite fewer people being protected by employment equality legislation due to the increase in unemployment.
The Equality Authority provides a free legal advice and representation service to individuals in cases of strategic importance. 116 new casefiles were opened in 2010 primarily in the employment area – only 35 new cases came under the Equal Status Act in line with current trends of improved customer service. Disability and Gender were the key areas of legal assistance followed by Age and Race consistent with previous years. A further 200 casefiles reached a conclusion and were closed in 2010.
Key elements of policy initiatives noted in the 2010 Annual Report include the passing of the Civil Partnership Act, the Authority’s submission on legal aspects of family relationships to the Law Reform Commission and to the Committee on gender recognition for transgendered people, and our initiatives on the Race and Age grounds. The Authority also published the Equality benefits tool in 2010 for public and private sector employers and service providers and received significant funding under the EU PROGRESS initiative.
The importance of the education sector in embedding equality was emphasised with the publication of Guidelines for Second Level Schools in Development Planning and our research on homophobic bullying in Schools in Ireland. A range of partnership initiatives with VECs and local authorities, in the mental health area and labour markets sectors like Travellers and female migrant workers in the mushroom picking industry are also reported on in the 2010 Annual Report.