David Norris (Independent)

We are entitled to know the facts. I ask for an immediate debate on this issue. According to Ms Coulter's report, Departments, State agencies, local authorities and educational institutions made up 54% of the case files under the Equal Status Acts in 2005, 60% in 2006 and 69% in 2007. The Equality Authority is the only body within the remit of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform which is listed for decentralisation. This will result in a massive loss of professional expertise because, to put the best complexion on the matter, we will have 30 people in Roscrea, none of whom will have expertise in the equality area, and a handful of others left stranded in Dublin.

We are also neutering and spancilling the Human Rights Commission, which was established on a statutory basis as part of the Good Friday Agreement, under which it should be of equal strength to its counterpart in the North. It is quite clear why this is so and one good reason is that they came out with a report on rendition and the use of Shannon Airport.