Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left) | Oireachtas source

I support the Employment Equality (Amendment) Bill introduced by the Socialist Party and the Anti-Austerity Alliance. I wish to follow the trend of what has been said by the previous two speakers. The “Yes” vote in favour of gay marriage is a significant step forward on the way to a more equal society. The “Yes” vote was not just strongest among young people but was also strongest in working class areas. In one ballot box in Cherry Orchard in Ballyfermot there was a 96% “Yes” vote in favour of marriage equality, the reason being that for working people equality is not just some fancy notion, it is more fundamental. The desire for a more equal society is real and important for people who do not experience equality in their day-to-day existence. The Minister does not have to take my word for it; she can ask the workers in Clerys or Dunnes Stores whether they feel equal. The “Yes” vote was an important step forward but there is a long way to go. The Bill is being accepted by the Government and there will not be a vote on it tonight.

I wish to raise another issue that is important in the context of the education system. Atheist Ireland recently brought to my attention an issue that relates to public funding for chaplains in third level colleges. The issue first arose in the Dundalk Institute of Technology. Following research, it appears that Roman Catholic chaplains are being funded in a number of ITs, but not all of them, at an estimated cost to the State of €1 million per annum. Article 44.2.2° of the Constitution states: “The State guarantees not to endow any religion.” There are of course schools with a religious ethos and patron and the Supreme Court has ruled that in such schools the State can fund chaplains, but institutes of technology are non-denominational. They do not by law have a religious ethos. They do not have a religious patron. Funding by the State of chaplains in ITs is clearly in breach of Article 44.2.2°. It is also in breach of the procurement guidelines for public bodies. The contracting of a service must be put out to tender and a minimum of three quotes is required. If the employment of a chaplain is a direct employment, it should be filled using the Public Appointments Service. In reality, what happens is that the head of the college pays a sum to the church and the bishop makes the appointment. That has happened in ITs other than in Dundalk. There is no evaluation as to the qualifications, experience, training or background of the priest appointed. These chaplains have to deal with very sensitive issues for teenage college students, such as crisis pregnancies, LGBT issues or any of the other issues faced by young people. The €1 million would be far better spent on the provision of qualified counsellors.

This shows there is a long way to go, both in law and in practice, before we have a proper separation of church and State. Surely it is a fundamental principle that any society which aspires to equality does not give preference to a particular religion or to a religious ethos over secular views. Colleagues have referred to the chilling effect of the legislation as it now applies. It says it all that when delegates from Atheist Ireland had a meeting with the Taoiseach, two of them could not be included in the photographs because they were afraid of being identified. That shows the degree of vulnerability felt by some public sector employees.

I recall the remark by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin following the marriage equality referendum in which he questioned how the church had produced so many young people who went out to vote for equality. He said the language used in church schools would have to change, in terms of how religion was practised and the ideas to which students were exposed.

While acknowledging the step forward that was the "Yes" vote in the marriage equality referendum, it would be naive not to recognise, especially in socio-economic terms, that our society is becoming less and not more equal. There has been a huge growth in inequality in the past 30 years, as Governments have pursued a neoliberal agenda dictated by powerful and wealthy individuals and corporations. Some might say this is the acceptable face of capitalism. I say there is no face of a system based on inequality that is acceptable. While capitalism prevails, inequality will be the daily lot of the majority of people. We will have to introduce a lot more legislation and equality measures if we are to have a society in which everybody, and not just the chosen few, benefits.

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