Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before turning to the specific question raised by the Deputy, I wish to make a number of points which are important. The functions of the new Irish human rights and equality commission will involve a levelling upwards rather than downwards of the functions of the Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission. The purpose of the merger is to strengthen protection of human rights and equality in Ireland. Likewise, reform of the workplace relations institutions aims to deliver a world class workplace relations service and framework, incorporating all functions of the Equality Tribunal, which will serve the needs of employers, employees and consumers and provide maximum value for money. I fully support this reform. The Deputy will be aware that these two initiatives are being undertaken as part of the radical streamlining of State bodies, a key deliverable of the public service reform plan. In the context of the workplace relations service, the Deputy will also be aware that this provision and the establishment of the service come within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The Equality Authority remains in place and procedures will remain the same until such time as the new body has been put in place. The new body, in respect of which I hope to publish the legislation as early as possible in the new year, will provide all of the backup currently provided by the Equality Authority for individuals who have a complaint in the equality area. The change being brought about means that instead of these issues being dealt with by the Equality Tribunal, they will be dealt with by the workplace relations service, which is important because on occasion a dispute or allegation in the labour law area can end up before two forums, namely, the Equality Authority and Employment Appeals Tribunal. The intention is to provide for synergy and a greater focus in this area, which will ensure that where more than one issue arises from an individual's employment, the matter can be dealt with by one body. In the equality area the backup and assistance currently provided by the Equality Authority will continue to be available under the aegis of the new body.

See this speech in context