Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This amendment would go against what the Bill is trying to achieve, by providing a single fast, effective, independent and streamlined adjudication process. It proposes that a separate hearing would be convened to deal with the equality aspects of a case, separate from the employment aspects. If there was an employment and an equality aspect to the case, this could result in four separate hearings, two at first instance and two at appeal. There is no justification for this. It would add to the cost to the employer, the employee and the State. As I indicated earlier, we are providing that the adjudication officers would have suitable skills and training to deal with all cases that would come before them.