Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to speak to this Bill which seeks to extend the scope of current employment equality legislation by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disadvantaged socioeconomic or social backgrounds. Put simply, this Bill seeks to enhance equality. As my colleague, Deputy O’Callaghan, said, even though there is much talk about equality both inside and outside this Chamber, we do not do much by way of legislation to protect or improve it. It is easy to say we believe in equality but what does that mean? According to one dictionary definition, it is "the state of being equal, especially in status, rights or opportunities". It is the area of status and opportunities that we hope to address with this Bill.

Discrimination based on socioeconomic or social backgrounds has been growing problem in recent years. It is chilling to listen to Deputy O’Callaghan speak on the school situation in particular, where some schools did not take children from certain addresses estates. Many people living in disadvantaged areas have found it difficult to secure jobs simply because they live in a certain area or estate. Their applications are not being considered on merit and they face arbitrary barriers which have a detrimental impact on their lives. This form of inequality needs to be tackled.

The Bill Deputy O’Callaghan and I have brought forward aims to address this growing problem by explicitly banning discrimination on the basis of disadvantaged socioeconomic or social background. This should help ensure that people living in disadvantaged areas are protected from discrimination alongside those who are unemployed or are relying on social protection supports. This should help break the vicious poverty trap that many people fall into.

Fianna Fáil recognises that enhancing social conditions and creating better opportunities for people is the fundamental method of supporting disadvantaged communities. This Bill is just one proposal for tackling inequality and breaking down the barriers which exist for those living in disadvantaged areas. Unfortunately, we live in a world where assumptions based on socioeconomic status or address can often restrict opportunities for minorities or disadvantaged groups mainly in job opportunities but also, as we heard, in education. Some progress has been made in diversity but many other areas need work to minimise or reduce prejudice.

Studies have shown that individuals sometimes make drastic changes in their personal information in order to achieve better results in the business and-or academic fields, where a surname or location can be life changing.

It is likely that those from eastern parts of the world will anglicise their names. We have seen that happen among people from other countries who have chosen to live in Ireland and to apply for jobs here. It is done prior to applying for positions offered by companies. Again, there are many people living in certain estates who say that they have to change their addresses for job opportunities because the areas in which they live are associated with deprivation, anti-social behaviour or other elements of criminality.

Socially identifiable status or socioeconomic disadvantages resulting from poverty level, source of income, place of residence or familial background should not be a measure, or used as a measure, to treat one person less favourably than another. We have to have a developed, fair and united society where true equality of status, rights and opportunities is not fictional. That can only be the product of a joint, cohesive process being developed for each and every one of our citizens. As a republican party, Fianna Fáil is committed to fighting discrimination and inequality. As my colleague said, we have a proven record in providing leadership in the field of equality legislation, particularly in respect of the two major parts of Irish equality legislation, which we certainly want to enhance at this point. It is fair to say that there is evidence of significant discrimination on the grounds of socioeconomic status in key areas. We must do our best to ensure that there is equality wherever there can be.

As my colleague said, it is sometimes difficult to police the prohibitions which we have in the nine areas of discrimination, and in respect of the tenth area which we are proposing in this Bill. Nonetheless, it is very important to state that there is a significant benefit in setting out the grounds on which discrimination is unacceptable in law. It would certainly help to send a strong message that any level of discrimination in any of these areas is totally unacceptable.

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