Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Section 41 does not apply directly to employment equality and equal status cases. Instead, sections 80 to 82, inclusive, amend the Employment Equality Act 1998 and the Equal Status Act 2000 and make them consistent with the provisions of section 41. There is no merit in requiring a separate hearing of equality cases from other employment matters which may be in dispute between an employer and an employee. We are trying to ensure that these cases can be heard in a streamlined way. The amendment would provide for double hearings in the case of the same set of circumstances. We will not consider that.