Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I would welcome a debate on the workings of the Equality Authority, the Equality Tribunal and the human rights commission. It is worth putting on record that the Equality Authority was set up in 1997 with a budget of €378,000. In the 11 years since then €47 million of public funds has been spent. The human rights commission was set up in 2001 with a budget of €278,000. Since then, €12 million has been spent on it. We can all raise a hue and cry about various issues but, without pre-empting the debate, it is worth mentioning some brief points. This year the Equality Tribunal's budget increased by 15% in line with the social partnership commitment to get rid of the backlog of work it is doing on cases.

Rent savings of €240,000 would be made by moving the authority to Roscrea. There was a once-off allocation in 2007, the European year of equality, of €320,000 for that year. It rolled on to 2008 but it has been got rid of. This is part of the amount referred to in the swingeing cutbacks. The anti-ageism campaign, which was rubbished in the other House by Deputy Alan Shatter, cost €230,000. He said it was inappropriate and a waste of money. That is more of the money that has been prudently cut back.

The Equality Authority, the Equality Tribunal and the human rights commission can easily survive some of these practical cuts. It is a regrettable step that the chief executive resigned. The authority is doing wonderful work. In this day and age, when we hear Senator Harris refer, rightly, to the crisis ahead of us and job losses, this man had a contract for in the region of €160,000 or €170,000, as he admitted on local radio, and he signed the contract on the understanding he would move to Roscrea. We should get the facts before the House. All we have heard today and the last day is a one-sided debate. The Equality Authority, the Equality Tribunal and the human rights commission are doing excellent work and they can and will survive. Some of these cutbacks are practical.

It makes no sense that rental accommodation for the Equality Authority and the human rights commission costs €750,000 when the property market has collapsed. If the move to Roscrea was decided on it should go ahead. If that saves €750,000 on rental accommodation, so be it. Many of the points being raised relate to sensible savings when we look at the facts and consider prudently what must be done.