Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 11 be taken before No. 1. I refer to the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025, signed by all Sinn Féin Senators. This Bill seeks to prohibit socioeconomic discrimination or any sort of discrimination based on social background or economic disadvantage. The purpose of the Bill is to amend Irish equality legislation and two Acts, namely, the Employment Equality Act 1998 and the Equal Status Act 2000, in order to add a tenth form of legally defined discrimination, to include socioeconomic discrimination. This issue affects countless numbers of people across country, particularly in disadvantaged parts of the inner city. If this Bill is enacted, employers will not be able to discriminate against a job applicant or current employee because of his or her accent or the socioeconomic status that their home address might imply. Furthermore, it will prohibit service providers from discriminating against people on the basis of where they live. It will provide a legal basis to challenge socioeconomic discrimination and will give people who experience this hardship on a daily basis a practical and rights-based means of fighting back. I previously introduced this Bill as the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021 during the term of the previous Dáil. Unfortunately, it was effectively killed by a Government amendment to delay its reading by almost 18 months. I am sure we can all agree that discrimination on the basis of disadvantaged social origin or disadvantaged socioeconomic status is unacceptable. I sincerely hope that all my colleagues across the Seanad will support this legislation.

Speaking of discrimination brings me to the neglect of and discrimination against residents of the inner city, in Pearse House and in City Quay, who are facing State antisocial behaviour and neglect. The residents of Pearse House continue to be left in limbo. There was a commitment that there would be a regeneration programme for the flats in Pearse House. The conditions in which the people there are living are appalling. We need the Minister to come to the House to discuss the matter. We also need to look at the ongoing violence and criminal activity on City Quay, which is happening nightly. Residents, including older people, are terrified to leave their homes. When we talk about discrimination and antisocial behaviour, the State is the biggest discriminator. It is guilty of neglect of inner-city communities. This needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.