Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As I have said through the different Stages on this Bill, we had an Irish Human Rights Commission that did important work. The Equality Authority is doing important work also. A number of years ago the chairman of the Equality Authority had to resign because its budget was cut by 35% and he felt he was not in a position to fulfil his responsibilities on behalf of the citizens to hold Government to account. In recent weeks significant issues have arisen to do with the failure of the Government to meet its human rights responsibility. That will be raised with the Human Rights Council.

This is not a great day for human rights in Ireland. This is the amalgamation of two authorities that were doing excellent work. It is about a consolidation. It undermines the Good Friday Agreement. How can we lecture Unionists in the North about the need for a human rights Bill and strengthening human rights infrastructure when we undermine ours and amalgamate the two authorities? I cannot accept that, particularly the lectures from the former Minister on this issue. We will be calling a vote on it. This is not a good day for human rights. There has been an undermining of the excellent work done by people who were undermined and faced budgetary cuts and setbacks throughout that period.

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