The Equality Authority has not seen the ERA Report released to the media this morning.
The Equality Authority rejects the allegation in the press release that it did not cooperate with the study.
However, the reference in the press release to casework is erroneous and misleading. Approx 10% of all files termed casefiles in the past, end up as actual cases before the Equality Tribunal or other courts. The Equality Authority has undertaken an efficiency exercise to close many files that were bolstering quantitative statistics. This matter was publicly announced at our 2008 Annual Report launch last September and this information was available to ERA. Queries and complaints on file, as distinct from actual cases, which were not active, or had any hope of evolving into a more formal legal process, were closed by our legal staff this year. This allows our legal resources to concentrate on active cases where the citizen, who is in need of the support of the Equality Authority, can rely on a quality and efficient advice and representative service, and ensures greater transparency in the analysis of our effective legal work.
The Equality Authority may wish to make further comment once it has seen and studied the Report.
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