Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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34. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which he and his Department are in a position to address the issues of inequality in society; the areas in respect of which most concern has arisen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31249/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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This is a question on the issue of equality. In recent years, Ireland has taken some significant steps towards addressing inequality across the country. The programme for Government commits to building on this progress to ensure that everyone living in Ireland enjoys full equality.

Following the transfer last week to my Department of functions formerly in the Department of Justice and Equality, my Department now co-ordinates and oversees a suite of national strategies that aim to address inequality. The strategies include the national strategy for women and girls, the national Traveller and Roma inclusion strategy, the migrant integration strategy, the national LGBTI+ inclusion strategy, the national LGBTI+ strategy for youth and the national disability inclusion strategy. I intend to chair the meetings of the committees charged with the monitoring and oversight of the strategies, with the exception of the national disability inclusion strategy steering group, which will be chaired by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte. As some of these strategies near their conclusion, I will work with stakeholders to examine what has been achieved over their term and how we can bring forth the next iterations of those strategies and ensure they are even more effective.

Alongside the strategies, I am pleased to have secured additional budget funding for a number of initiatives, in particular an additional €1 million allocation next year for Traveller and Roma projects and to support Roma community and Traveller organisations who have been, as we know, disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. There is also an additional €600,000 for refugee and migrant integration. This is a 10% increase in funding to assist with the Irish refugee resettlement programme, as well achieving wider integration goals.

I also plan to bring forward a number of legislative proposals in the area of equality. The programme for Government contains a commitment to examine the introduction of a new ground of discrimination based on socio-economic status in the employment equality and equal status Acts. Research is being undertaken, which I hope to take receipt in the next week or two, following which I hope to undertake a wider consultation on potentially amending the Equal Status Act 2000 to include the issue of socio-economic discrimination.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. Regarding his early observations, has he identified any particular issues pertaining to the Traveller or Roma community, such as lack of education leading to ongoing equality later in life, asylum seekers and refugees awaiting status or in direct provision, related not to the standard of accommodation but to their particular status and does he foresee ways and means of intervening in a positive way?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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There is not enough time to talk about the range of issues that fall within the equality brief and the range of challenges. I am incredibly excited to hold this brief. It is an area I am and have been very passionate about throughout all of my life, including prior to my involvement in politics. There is a very detailed section in the programme for Government on equality and all of these areas. The Deputy specifically mentioned Traveller and Roma integration. There are big challenges for both communities in the context of Covid and supports in that regard, particularly barriers around language with the Roma community and in regard to education and employment, with an 80% unemployment rate in the Traveller community. I look forward to being able to bring forward detailed strategies to address these issues in the new Traveller and Roma integration strategy.