Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives of the Equality and Rights Alliance and IBEC for coming in and making their contributions. I will certainly reflect on everything that has been said and I know that other committee members will also reflect on it before it reaches Committee Stage before the select committee.

I want to emphasise that we cannot just be satisfied with equality legislation that is on the Statute Book and which we do not believe needs to be reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis. Sometimes politicians are satisfied to state that we have equality legislation in place and that ticks the box. It is important for us to continually review and update it. I was interested by what Mr. Niall Crowley said about comparators in other countries. Obviously the last thing I would want to do is introduce something that might have a significant negative impact on business or individuals who were trying to secure employment. People who deal with this on the WRC are sensible people who can interpret the purpose behind the new ground being introduced. Unfortunately this type of discrimination occurs and there is a responsibility on us, as legislators, to take steps to try to ensure that does not occur. We have to do it in such a way that it does not impinge too much on or cause any difficulties in the area of business. Just because there are some fears about it that is not sufficient to suggest that we should not proceed with it.

I thank people for their contributions and I know we will all reflect very carefully on them.