Speaking Notes Minister Pat Carey TD
Address by the
Minister of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs,
Mr. Pat Carey, T.D.,
Launch of the Annual Report of the Equality Authority for 2009
Dublin Castle
Monday, 12 July 2010 at 10.00am
A chairde, is mór an onóir dom a bheith anseo libh ar maidin chun tuarascáil bhliantúil an Údaráis Comhionannais don bhliain 2009 a sheoladh.
Dear Chairperson, Board members, Chief Executive, friends and colleagues, I am honoured to have been invited to join you in launching the Equality Authority's Annual Report for 2009.
On behalf of my colleagues in Government, I would like to express our appreciation for the hard work and commitment of the Chairperson, Board members, senior management and staff of the Authority.
It is this Government's ambition that 2010 will be another landmark year in the promotion of equality of opportunity in Ireland, and reinforce our position as one of the European leaders in this field.
This year also marks the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of the Equality Authority. The Authority can be justifiably proud of its record over the past 10 years. It is important now that we take stock and look at how far we have come as a country.
Progress has been achieved on a wide range of issues, and I cannot not let this opportunity go by without mentioning the passing by the Oireachtas last week of the Civil Partnership Bill. This Bill, which it is expected will shortly be signed into law by the President, will provide for the registration of civil partnerships between same-sex couples, delivering on a Government commitment, which is shared by all parties.
This legislation will substantially change the legal landscape for same-sex couples and is a further significant addition to Ireland's comprehensive legal framework to promote equality of opportunity for all in Irish society.
As my colleague Dermot Ahern said to the Dáil in launching this legislation, "the State clearly has shown that people as individuals are entitled to receive fair and equal treatment, whether they are gay, lesbian or heterosexual. It is now time to move forward and to add to the legal protections in place for persons against discrimination and exclusion. The absence of official recognition and affirmation for same-sex relationships only helps to reinforce prejudice and inequality in society."
I should also mention, in this context, that the wider issues of how, in contemporary Ireland, the law should approach the rights and responsibilities of fathers, step-parents, grandparents and other members of the extended family, taking into account the best interests and welfare of children, is currently being examined by the Law Reform Commission.
Nobody here needs to be reminded of the seriousness of the economic situation we faced over the past two years. This has required us to rethink how the work of Government can best meet the needs of the people. It is my belief that our success will only be judged by our capacity to emerge from our current problems as a more just, inclusive and equitable society.
As you are aware, the Government decided in March to refocus the work of various Government departments. Following my appointment as Minister, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs was restructured and given new responsibilities in the areas of social inclusion, family policy, Equality, Human Rights and Active Citizenship.
What we now have is a Department focused on social policy. It is my aim to create a Department that takes a coordinated approach to all these issues, working with statutory and voluntary bodies to help solve the problems faced by our communities.
As you may know, my Department colleague Mary White, Minister of State for Equality, Integration & Human Rights has initiated a process of reviewing the workings of the Equality Authority, the Equality Tribunal and the Irish Human Rights Commission.
It is an opportune time to review how these agencies are working, and to see how their work and the equality framework can be linked with the formulation of social inclusion policy. The first step in the review process is scoping papers on important universal issues concerning equality and rights bodies. The conclusions on these issues will help shape the parameters of the review later this year.
Discrimination has a cost, both to its victims and to wider society, which we cannot as a society afford to ignore. It is important that vulnerable workers and jobseekers are not exploited in these times of economic difficulty. I know that the Equality Authority will play its role in ensuring our excellent equality legislation in this area is fully respected. Indeed, as is highlighted in the Annual Report, the Authority's Public Information Centre exceeded its own target for queries handled during 2009. The Centre provides a valuable information service on rights and obligations under the equality legislation, both in employment and in access to goods and services, and under the legislation pertaining to maternity, parental and adoptive leaves. I feel it is important to stress that this is a service which the Authority also makes available to employers.
To combat discrimination, it is necessary to challenge attitudes, prejudices and behaviours. Looking about me at the attendance at today's launch, brings home strongly the part that community and voluntary organisations can and do play in raising awareness of diversity and the importance of tolerance in relations between people.
The progress that has been made to date is due in no small degree to the commitment and dedication the Equality Authority has brought to bear in encouraging productive partnerships with community and voluntary organisations, trades unions, employers and the wider business community in the fight against discrimination. Last year alone, the Authority involved sixty separate organisations, at home and abroad, in its activities.
The Authority, in launching its new Strategic Plan in 2009, gave its commitment to achieving ambitious and bold targets over the next three years, which it would pursue with leadership, passion and vigour. As this report clearly demonstrates, the Authority meant what it said. The Equality Authority has delivered an impressive workload in 2009 and its staff can feel justifiably proud of their achievements in this regard.
In conclusion I would like to wish you all success in meeting the challenges before us for 2010 and beyond. Achieving this will require a comprehensive and coordinated approach founded on shared values of equality and inclusion. I know we are up to those challenges.
It gives me great pleasure now to formally launch the Annual Report of the Equality Authority for 2009.
Go raibh maith agaibh.
- ENDS -
Related articles:- Annual Report 2009
The Annual Report for the Equality Authority for the year 2009
- Equality Authority Annual Report 2009 Launched
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