Frank Fahey (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

Amendments Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, propose to insert a new Long Title into the Bill and deal with equal rights of people with disabilities. Employment equality and equal status legislation already exists in the State. The present legislation is a positive action measure and I consider, therefore, that the present Long Title reflects that fact accurately.

The two main issues are that the Bill is predicated on resources and a justiciable right in the courts. If the Opposition Members who spoke were in government, every decision they took would be dependent on resources. No legislation has been put through in the history of this House that did not have a clause making it dependent on resources. It is not realistic for the Opposition to call for legislation to be passed which is not dependent on resources. In no country in the world——

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