Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Senator Mary White should not lecture me on child care. I have engaged directly with the Tánaiste, as have my Labour Party colleagues, on the group of lone parents who may suffer adverse consequences as a result of the changes to seek to ensure these consequences will not be adverse in terms of lost income. We are engaging actively with her and her Department on the issue. I understand the Tánaiste is actively engaged in following up on individual cases. I urge any colleague who is aware of individual cases to raise them with her office and the Department and engage with local Intreo offices which are now very much geared towards implementing job activation measures and moving away from welfare dependency.

I refer to the Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, Report Stage of which will be taken this afternoon. It is a good day for the Seanad to see the Bill conclude in this House where it was introduced as a Private Members' Bill by me and Senator Mary Moran on behalf of Labour Party Senators. It aims to amend what is a real embarrassment for the country, the continued existence in an unamended form of section 37 of the Employment Equality Act which facilitates discrimination and has a chilling effect for those who are lesbian or gay, particularly teachers who teach in religious run schools.