The INOU has expressed its disappointment that the Bill that would prohibit discrimination against people facing socio-economic disadvantage didn’t progress through the Second Stage in the Seanad this week.
Once enacted, the legislation will mean people experiencing discrimination based on their accent, postcode, or source of income would be protected by our equality laws.
Rebecca Gorman, INOU’s Head of Policy and Media, said, “We are disappointed that the legislation did not pass through the Seanad today, despite the cross-party support shown over the years for this law change. Another delay to this law means our equality legislation lags behind the needs of people most disadvantaged in our country.”
The Bill was developed with cross party support and backed by the Add the 10th Alliance. International bodies like the UN have continued to recommend that this legislation is introduced in Ireland. As noted in our most recent e-bulletin article on Socio-economic Status, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has called on Ireland to adopt legislation that “includes explicit references to all prohibited grounds of discrimination, including socioeconomic status”.
Rebecca continued “Our concern today is that the Bill has been delayed due to a reluctance to change the practices of the State and of some commercial actors; we would hope that the interests of citizens and their human rights and equality would be the priority”.
The Bill published would protect people at risk of discrimination based on their disadvantaged socio-economic background. We know from our work that this discrimination can stop people from accessing employment; in some cases, individuals will not be invited for an interview, despite having the qualifications and experience necessary for the role. At present they have no legal recourse in these situations, even though they have experienced blatant discrimination.
The INOU will continue to work with colleagues in the Add the 10th Alliance and will continue to engage with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to advocate for the progression of this straightforward legislation.