Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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In July 2021, I launched a public consultation process as part of the Review of the Equality Acts to examine the functioning of the Acts and their effectiveness in combatting discrimination and promoting equality. The Department invited written submissions to the public consultation from 06 July 2021 - 08 December 2021, and was pleased to receive an extensive response to the consultation.

A report summarising the key issues raised in the public consultation was published on the 12th of July 2023. The report can be viewed on the Government's website. See: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/cafb4-minister-ogorman-publishes-report-on-the-submissions-to-the-public-consultation-on-the-review-of-the-equality-acts

Submissions were received on a wide variety of subjects including all the equality grounds: gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race, membership of the Traveller community, and the housing assistance ground. Other issues raised in the submissions included the proposed ground for disadvantaged socio-economic status and the use of NDAs in discrimination settlements. Incorporating intersectionality into the legislation was also raised throughout the submissions. Many submissions also commented on the functioning and accessibility of the Equality Acts and proposed how the legislation could be more accessible to the public and better protect people from discrimination.

Work is being undertaken to finalise the policy that will underpin legislative proposals arising from this Review which will be brought forward before the end of the year.