September 7th 2009.

Equality & Rights Alliance  today lodged a legal complaint with the European

Commission stating that Ireland is in breach of EU Equality Directives.

ERA members contend  that  the  Irish Government has used the cover of financial cutbacks in public expenditure to mount a targeted attack on Irish Equality and human rights institutions. The savage cuts to the bodies coupled with the accelerated decentralisation programme of the Equality Authority have crucially undermined the ability of the Equality Authority to function as a designated national body under EU equality Directives on race and gender, rendering it unable to effectively fulfill its prescribed functions.

 Read the full text of our complaint :/uploads/ERA_Compaint_to_the_EU_Commission..pdf

The complaint is supported by the General Secretary of Congress, David Begg, who in a letter to the Commission in support of the ER complaint, warned of the negative impact of a weakened equality infrastructure on workers in Ireland.

read David Begg's letter of support:/uploads/David Begg letter of support.pdf

A corresponding petition has also been lodged with the European Parliament which is supported by:

LABOUR PARTY

Proinsias De Rossa MEP

Nessa Childers MEP

Alan Kelly MEP

FINE GAEL

Gay Mitchell MEP

Mairead McGuinness MEP

Jim Higgins MEP

Sean Kelly MEP

SOCIALIST PARTY

Joe Higgins MEP

INDEPENDENT

Marian Harkin MEP

Read the full text of our petition:/uploads/ERA_Petition_to_the_European_Parliament.pdf