David Norris (Independent)

We should ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come to the House and explain the arbitrary transfer of jurisdiction under the equality legislation from the Equality Authority to the District Court, an astonishing development. The District Courts, in their wisdom, have indicated that they regard the licensed vintners as having used this tactic as an attempt to subvert the law. This means that the Minister is assisting a very powerful vested interest and lobby group in subverting the operation of legislation passed by this House, which is perfectly entitled to an explanation.