Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Minister and Senator Zappone. There is the other aspect to imposing these requirements regarding the positive duty. Let us make it a dialogue going both ways. There is a positive duty on public bodies to have regard to human rights. I would accentuate the positive. We received a briefing recently from An Garda Síochána and the garda giving the briefing to Deputies and Senators had been in Serbia. He had fantastic expertise on how people of different cultures and races would get on together. We also have the expertise of our peacekeepers who have kept the peace in Cyprus and other countries.

With regard to public bodies that are funded by the Exchequer, sports bodies have done a huge amount to give racism the boot and so forth. This is a two-way thing, rather than holding inquiries or imposing duties on people. Many people are doing really good work in the Army, the Garda and in sports bodies in the public sector. Let us have some of that come to the surface because perhaps we are better at this than the newspapers sometimes lead us to believe. Many people in Ireland have experience of dealing with interracial and intercultural matters and they are pretty good at it. It makes society so much richer for us all.

Section 42 is a two-way process, with many good things happening. That is to be commended and it is in the spirit of what Senator Zappone and the Minister have just said.