THE RESIGNATION of Niall Crowley as chief executive of the Equality Authority has prompted widespread condemnation and tributes to his commitment to its mandate, while at least one member of the board has said she is considering her position.
The Impact trade union blamed the Government for Mr Crowley's resignation, and Impact official Louise O'Donnell, who is also a member of the Equality Authority's board, said she agreed with Mr Crowley's assessment that the Minister had rendered the authority unviable. She said she would consider her position when the board next meets.
Anne Speed, head of equality and campaigning at Siptu, accused the Minister of "effectively closing down the Equality Authority and dumping equality rights of Irish citizens and workers in the bin".
Former UN commissioner for human rights Mary Robinson, while stressing that she was not familiar with all the details, said the cut of 43 per cent in funding was "very savage". It was important that Ireland had strong and independent bodies to fight discrimination and protect human rights, she said.
Labour justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte said: "The Equality Authority was singled out in a vindictive manner because of the independent and forthright way in which it discharged its duties. Every democratic society needs a body like the Equality Authority to fight discrimination, to challenge stereotypical attitudes and to shine a light on unacceptable practices."
Joanna McMinn, chairwoman of the Equality Rights Alliance, set up to oppose the cuts to the Equality Authority and the Human Rights Commission, said: "The work of the Equality Authority has been fatally compromised and it is not in keeping with [Mr Crowley's] uncompromising belief in equality and rights to remain as head of an agency which is effectively a lame duck. His resignation will send ripples across the EU," she predicted.
Dr Maurice Manning, president of the Irish Human Rights Commission, said: "I greatly regret Niall Crowley's decision to resign as chief executive of the Equality Authority. I fully understand the reasons for his decision and why he felt that, in the circumstances, he had no alternative but to resign.
"In my work as president of the Irish Human Rights Commission I have seen at first hand the commitment, courage and integrity he brought to his role. Niall played a huge part in advancing the equality agenda in this country."
Flac (Free Legal Advice Centres) expressed shock at Mr Crowley's resignation, saying: "There is a real danger that if the authority is prevented from doing its work, the gains made over the past 10 years will be lost during the current recession."
In a letter to the Minister, Amnesty International said: "We believe that the Government's as yet unjustified decision to effectively shut down the Equality Authority and substantially hamper the work of the Irish Human Rights Commission is contrary to the obligations to promote and protect human rights which the Irish Government have made under international law."
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties paid tribute to Mr Crowley's "great achievements in guiding the work of the Equality Authority over the years".
The disability organisation, Inclusion Ireland, expressed serious concerns over Mr Crowley's departure as well as cuts to the authority and its decentralisation to Roscrea, Co Tipperary.