“The Equality Authority is an independent body set up under the Employment Equality Act 1998. It was established on 18th October 1999.

The Equality Authority replaced the Employment Equality Agency, and has a greatly expanded role and functions. The Employment Equality Act, 1998 and the Equal Status Act, 2000 outlaw discrimination in employment, vocational training, advertising, collective agreements, the provision of goods and services and other opportunities to which the public generally have access on nine distinct grounds.

These are: gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller community.

Discrimination is described in the Act as the treatment of a person in a less favourable way than another person is, has been or would be treated on any of the above grounds.”

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“The Equality Tribunal is the impartial forum to hear or mediate complaints of alleged discrimination under equality legislation. It is independent and quasi-judicial and its decisions and mediated settlements are legally binding.

The equality legislation prohibits discrimination on nine grounds - gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller community.

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The National Disability Authority (NDA) is an independent statutory agency established under the aegis of the Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform by the National Disability Authority Act 1999.

NDA strives to ensure that the rights and entitlements of people with disabilities are protected. It has the following functions:

1. act as a national body to assist in the coordination and development of disability policy;
2. undertake research and develop statistical information for the planning, delivery and monitoring of programmes and services for people with disabilities;
3. advise the Minister on standards for programmes and services and prepare codes of practice;
4. monitor the implementation of standards and codes of practice;
5. take the lead in both encouraging and recognising the promotion of equality of people with disabilities.

Authority members are drawn from all backgrounds and include people with disabilities, parents and carers of people with disabilities and people working in the disability field.”

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“The office of the Data Protection Commissioner is established under the 1988 Data Protection Act, which was passed on the 13th July 1988, and came fully into force on the 19th April, 1989. The Data Protection Amendment Act, 2003, updated the legislation, implementing the provisions of EU Directive 95/46.The Acts set out the general principle that individuals should be in a position to control how data relating to them is used. “Data controllers” - people or organisations holding information about individuals on computer or in structured manual files - must comply with certain standards in handling personal data, and individuals have certain rights.

The Data Protection Commissioner is responsible for upholding the rights of individuals as set out in the Acts, and enforcing the obligations upon data controllers. The Commissioner is appointed by Government and is independent in the exercise of his or her functions. The Commissioner makes an annual report to the Oireachtas, the Irish Parliament. Individuals who feel their rights are being infringed can complain to the Commissioner, who will investigate the matter, and take whatever steps may be necessary to resolve it.

The Commissioner also maintains a register, available for public inspection, giving general details about the data handling practices of many important data controllers, such as Government Departments and financial institutions.

The Commissioner also has a role to play in the enforcement of Electronic Communications Data Protection and Privacy Regulations (S.I. 535 of 2003). These regulations make the sending of unsolicited direct marketing messages by electronic means an offence and among other things make provision for a telephone marketing opt-out register.”

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“The mission of the Human Rights Commission is to endeavour to ensure that the human rights of all people in the State are fully realised and protected, in law, in policy and in practice.

The Commission will pursue its objectives vigorously and independently. It will do its best to ensure that Irish law and practice is in line with the highest international standards, measuring our law and practice against the standards set out in the Constitution and in international human rights agreements to which Ireland is a party.

Where the Commission believes human rights are not being adequately protected, it will say so clearly and strongly, and will actively seek change in the law, policy or practice concerned.

In carrying out its functions, the Commission will operate in an independent, fair, open, accessible and accountable manner and will seek to use to the full the powers conferred upon it.

The Commission will seek to increase awareness of human rights protections and how to access them, striving to create a strong, pervasive culture of human rights at all levels within the State.

The Commission will work closely and, where appropriate, collaboratively with statutory bodies, Government Departments, non-governmental organisations and all involved in human rights issues.

The Commission will work closely too with other National Human Rights Commissions, the UN and the Council of Europe to endeavour to ensure a high standard of human rights protection.

The Commission takes particularly seriously its participation in the Joint Committee with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, as provided for by the Good Friday Agreement. The Commission will work collaboratively to strengthen the protection of human rights in both jurisdictions and work to establish a charter “reflecting and endorsing agreed measures for the protection of the fundamental rights of everyone living in the island of Ireland”, as proposed by the Agreement.”

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