Review of the Social Welfare Code to examine its compatibility with the Equal Status Acts, 2000-2004

Hey y'all,
A friend posted this across to me this evening. Now considering it was only launched this week (19th November 2007), I will put it down to lack of press attention rather than anything more sinister. Anyway.

Basically the Department of Social & Family Affairs are conducting an equality audit to see their compliance with the Equal Status Acts 2000-2004. Some of you may remember the Equal Status Act case from 2003, which was taken against DSFA regarding the provision of a Free-Travel Pass for the partner of a gay man. The case, while a landmark case, did not set a major precedent because it was settled out of court and subsequently this 'loophole' was handled in the Equal Status Act 2004 (Amendment) by the then Minister for Social & Family Affairs, Mary Coughlan who defined the 'partner' in this scheme as either the male or female partner. i.e. Not a same-sex relationship but a heterosexual relationship. This actively discriminates against Lesbian & Gay persons and is in many respects in violation of European Law.
The Minister was able to do this, because their is a provision(Section 14) in the Equal Status Act, which provides that you cannot take a case of discrimination on the nine grounds, if this is already enshrined in law. This has meant that discrimination can be legislated for, within an Irish context and it cannot be challenged under the ESA or the nine grounds because of this provision.

I would ask people who visit this page from Ireland, to have a look at the home page for this equality review at the DSFA and make a contribution about the issues which may pertain to them on the nine grounds. A Copy of the introduction letter is included below as well as a link to the submission page.

Rgds,
j.
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Letter of Explanation

Thank you for participating in the consultation process.

The Department of Social and Family Affairs has engaged independent consultants to carry out a review of all social welfare schemes to establish whether they are compliant with the provisions of the Equal Status Acts, 2000-2004. As part of this review, we wish to consult with interested organisations and individuals to establish whether there are any provisions of the Social Welfare Acts, regulations or administrative schemes which, to your knowledge, act to the disadvantage of any of the categories of person mentioned in the Equal Status Acts 2000-2004.

The grounds referred to in the Equal Status Acts are:

• » Gender
  
  
• » Marital status (i.e. being single, married, separated, divorced or widowed )
  
  
• » Family status*
  
  
• » Sexual orientation (i.e. heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual orientation )
  
  
• » Religious belief (including religious background or outlook )
  
  
• » Disability (including type of disability)
  
  
• » Age
  
  
• » Race, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origin
  
  
• » Membership of the Traveller community.

(*Family status means being pregnant or having responsibility as a parent or in loco parentis for a person who is not yet 18 or as a parent or the resident primary carer of a person over that age with a disability of such a nature as to give rise to the need for care or support on a continuing, regular or frequent basis).

Source & Cont'd : DSFA Equality Review Page

EQUAL-L: Mainstreaming Equality: 3rd Annual Conference on Equality in Further and Higher Education and Training, November 22 (Dublin)

CONFERENCE NOTIFICATION:

Mainstreaming Equality: 3rd Annual Conference on Equality in Further and Higher Education and Training, November 22 (Dublin)

Promoting equality and accommodating diversity in further and higher education, training and labour market programmes

Date: Thursday 22nd November 2007
Time: 0900-1320
Place: The Royal College of Physicians, 6 Kildare Street, Dublin 2

The composition of the Irish workforce is changing rapidly. Employee diversity encompasses all of the nine grounds covered under equality legislation - gender, marital status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion and membership of the Traveller community. Investing in equality and diversity is key to mobilising and developing this changing workforce.

Beyond responsibilities on providers in further education and training not to discriminate, there is an economic and social imperative to actively pursue the recruitment and progression of learners from all groups experiencing inequality under these grounds. The principal challenge in this sector is to mainstream equality in learning opportunities for all people, taking full account of their diversity.

The conference is jointly organised by The Equality Authority, The Department of Education and Science and The Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment. The event will focus on understanding the implications of promoting equality and accommodating diversity for the work of further and higher education and training practitioners. Keynote speakers and facilitated workshops will:

Examine the importance of promoting equality for the diverse workplace of the future

Explore the implications of equality and diversity for students and practitioners in further and higher education and training

Identify key lessons learned from promoting equality in the Vocational Education and training sector

Who should attend?
The conference is aimed at practitioners, managers and policy makers in further and vocational education and training and all those who work in educational practice, policy and advocacy with an interest in equality and diversity. There is no charge for the conference and lunch will be provided.

For information and bookings please contact:

FET Conference, The Equality Authority, 2 Clonmel Street, Dublin 2

Call Nigel Hickey on 01 417 3376 or email: nhickey@equality.ie

If you are registering by email:

Please provide all your contact details (name, address, organisation, phone and email) and indicate if you will stay for lunch and if you have any special dietary requirements.

The second session of the conference will contain 3 workshops, please consult the conference brochure or registration form for the details of the workshop and indicate in the e-mail your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice of workshop.

EQUAL-L: Disability and Development Co-operation

Event: "Disability and Development Co-operation", Centre for Global
Health, TCD/Dochas Seminar
********

The Centre for Global Health (TCD) and Dochas are jointly hosting a
seminar on Disability and Development Co-operation:

DATE: Thursday, November 8th 2007
TIME: 9am - 3.30pm
LOCATION: Royal Irish Academy, Dawson Street, Dublin.

For further details, please contact

Michael O'Toole
E: mgotoole@tcd.ie
T: +353 1 896 2918

More details are also available here:
www.globalhealth.ie/upcoming-events/article/60

via equal-l

Symposium: Full and Equal Rights: Lesbian and Gay Marriage & Partnership Rights in Ireland

The National Lesbian and Gay Federation is delighted to invite you to a full day symposium: FULL AND EQUAL RIGHTS: LESBIAN AND GAY MARRIAGE & PARTNERSHIP RIGHTS IN IRELAND

Date: Friday 30th November 2007 (Time: 10.00 to 4pm)

Venue: The Royal College of Physicians, Kildare St, Dublin 2.

Who should attend: The symposium will be of particular interest to lesbian and gay equality advocates and activists; politicians; policy makers; legal practitioners; community and social work professionals; trade unionists; and those involved in the field of equality and human rights.

The aim of the symposium:To provide a forum for the exchange of information and for dialogue between interested LG national organisations, community groups and individuals, as well as legal, equality and human rights professionals, and all those advocating for change on the issue of lesbian and gay marriage and partnerships. The aim is that such a dialogue, combined with insights from best practice elsewhere, will contribute to creating a strong platform for change within the Irish LGB NGO sector. Speakers will include representatives of major advocacy initiatives and campaigns on LG marriage and partnership rights in Ireland. Keynote international speaker: John Fisher ( former director of EGALE CANADA, and co-founder and co-director of ARC International, a canadian-based NGO focussing on the implementation of an international strategic vision regarding LGBT human rights).
While the symposium is free of charge and open to all those interested, space is strictly
limited so places will be allocated on a 'first come, first served' basis.

RSVP Rachel Mullen rmullen@equality.ie