Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

No matter who is CEO of the Equality Authority, the authority will continue to do its work and to meet its core functions. The board members are adamant that they will continue to do that. They have been given the resources.

In response to the accusation that the authority will be hamstrung on advocacy issues, it will have more money this year for legal advice and case representation by lawyers to prosecute cases before the Equality Tribunal, which received a 15% increase in its budget. The authority will receive more money this year as a result of an examination of the budget. That completely contradicts the allegation that the authority will have fewer chances to advocate the issue of equality. I strongly suggest that the people like the Deputies opposite do not bring their ideological hang-up to bear on this.

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