Madam, - Your Editorial (July 25th) regarding the proposed merger of a number of equality and human rights institutions raises a number of serious questions about social partnership and how Ireland intends to protect the most vulnerable in our society. As one of the leading organisations that campaigned for the equality infrastructure to be set up, the Irish Traveller Movement (ITM) would like further discussion on what this merger is intended to bring about for those most at risk of social exclusion, poverty and discrimination.
The equality infrastructure was agreed by the social partners in 1999 as part of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness agreement. The current social partners have not been party to this decision; we were not asked our opinion or even provided with the courtesy of a notice to the Government's intentions.
The partnership talks are about a lot more than wages and economics, they are about the social implications of policy and how to improve Ireland for everyone living here. It is a serious issue for the social partners to be excluded from decisions that fundamentally affect the basic human rights of all the groups they represent.
The equality infrastructure has been under-resourced since its inception and the proposal to merge the Equality Authority, Equality Tribunal, the Human Rights Commission and the Data Protection Commissioner needs greater consideration. This should not be used as a cost-saving measure. The Equality Tribunal and the Equality Authority have very separate and distinct functions. The tribunal has an investigative role that needs to be kept separate from the advocacy and developmental role of the authority. To merge the two would lead to a conflict of interest and would undermine the independence of both bodies.
The ITM will be asking the Government to reconsider this proposal and slow down the process to allow greater engagement of the social partners and stakeholders. After all, what is the rush? To move ahead at this pace, without dialogue with those who will be most affected, could only be interpreted as a direct attempt to undermine these important bodies.
Coupled with the recent statements by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs about the future of the Combat Poverty Agency, this represents a worrying trend in weakening the fight against poverty and for equality. We need consultation and dialogue. We do pride ourselves on being a democratic country that allows its citizens a voice or is that only at election time? - Yours, etc,
DAMIEN PEELO, Director, Irish Traveller Movement, 4-5 Eustace Street, Dublin 2.