Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Given the Minister said he will engage, we will follow up on the issues of equity and equality of opportunity. There is always a danger when we name some groups and not others in legislation. That is something we get warned off quite often. Certain groups are mentioned but, for example, members of the Traveller community are not named. We know there are very specific obstacles for those who are parents, but in particular those who are parenting alone and have that family status. There is a danger that in talking about unrepresented groups, we may address the matter of such groups but, even within that, cohorts may be forgotten. It may be said we are dealing with unrepresented groups but we have decided not to deal with, or take active measures on, those groups that may need particularly high levels of supports, for example. There is a danger with the wide framing in that regard.

I am happy to engage with the Minister on equality and equity. I concur with him. My colleagues and I have tabled a number of amendments relating to academic freedom. We tabled them to this section in the context of the functions of an t-údarás. That may be a more appropriate place for them. On the equality statement, the Minister will be conscious there are amendments that, if we are discussing the equality issue with him, we may engage further with him on around, for example, the IHREC legislation, and the public duty on equality and human rights that applies to all public bodies. It needs to be very clear the function of an equality statement relates to equality and is not something that can be caveated or diluted in that regard.

However, there is an incredibly important function in this Bill as regards academic freedom. We have tabled amendments on strengthening that, including how it applies to students and staff. They are both important debates. I am conscious this amendment relates specifically to the equality statement at present, but I hope we will also get to discuss the other matter.