THE ANNUAL report of the Equality Authority, published yesterday, makes for sober reading. Discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender, race, membership of the Travelling community and the other grounds covered by our equality legislation continues despite the existence of this legislation for more than 10 years and, in the case of gender discrimination, for 30 years.
It continues despite the fact that, as the Equality Authority has established through research it commissioned earlier this year, there is a strong economic case for employers actively promoting a diverse workforce and acting against all forms of discrimination.
Three years ago a CSO report found that a staggering 12.5 per cent of the population stated they had experienced some form of discrimination in the previous two years. These figures demonstrate the need for vigilance and for effective bodies to which people can turn when they experience discrimination.
The annual report shows that this is not just an experience suffered by those normally considered minority groups, like Travellers or same-sex couples. The largest single group of complainants under the Equal Employment Acts were those who suffered discrimination on the ground of age, and disability was the main ground under the Equal Status Act. Remarkably, the majority of those against whom the latter claims were made were public sector bodies.
The impetus for our early equality legislation came from the EU. Since then our legislation in this area has been seen internationally as exemplary. The Equality Authority is seen as an example of best practice in this sphere within the EU. It was selected by the European Commission as a case study for their review of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, and written up as an example of good practice in research undertaken by the commission on the issue of multiple discrimination. Its model has been followed in a number of new EU member states and, most recently, in the UK.
It also emerged yesterday that there is a proposal going to Government to merge the Equality Authority with a number of other bodies - some statutory arising from EU directives or international treaties, some not. Such a move could reduce the autonomy of the Human Rights Commission and all of the other bodies concerned. It is not surprising that rights-based organisations are the first target of Government cutbacks. This is a soft option affecting the least vocal and the most vulnerable in our society.