Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 540: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will introduce new legislation amending the various Equality Acts to include socio-economic status as grounds against which discrimination would be expressly prohibited in view of the fact that unemployment is a recognised risk factor contributing to the likelihood of a person being subject to discrimination and that in the economic crisis the number of unemployed is expanding rapidly. [11210/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2008 and the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2008 prohibit direct and indirect discrimination in the area of employment and in the provision of goods and services respectively on nine grounds. These are gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race, and membership of the travelling community.

The Employment Equality Act 1998 provides for a review of its operation with a view to assessing whether there is need to add to the discriminatory grounds set out in the Act. A review has been carried out. It included a Round Table Conference involving the social partners, relevant Government Departments, the Equality Authority, the Equality Tribunal and the Labour Court. Possible new grounds, such as socio-economic status were discussed. As part of the process, UCC Law Department was subsequently commissioned to carry out a comparative review of the international experience of employment legislation. Following completion of this review, the Government decided not to add to the existing nine grounds contained in the Employment Equality Acts. However, operation of the Acts continues to be reviewed in my Department.

The Equal Status Act 2000 also provides for a review of its operation to assess whether there is need to add to the discriminatory grounds covered by the Act. A review, which had been postponed pending completion of the review of the operation of the Employment Equality Acts, is ongoing.