Response to statements by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, 13 Nov 2008

Equality & Rights Alliance
www.eracampaign.org

Update Briefing - Inaccuracies and Consequences

A. Response to Statements made in Dáil Eireann by Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Dermot Ahern T.D. on 13th November 2008. (From Annual Reports and information of ERA members who are partners in initiatives)

1. “The Equality Authority was established in 1997 with an annual budget of €378,000. It now has an annual budget of €5.9 million” according to the Minister.

The Equality Authority was established on 19th December 1999. The annual budget of €378,000 therefore covered just two months of operation.

A better comparison would be the annual budget for the Equality Authority in 2001, the first year of full operation of the Equality Authority. In 2001 the Equality Authority had a budget of €3,787,000. The budget proposed for 2009 is €3, 333,000 - less than the start-up budget.

2. (The Equality Authority) is paying an annual rent of €402,000 for its premises on Harcourt Street. If I remember correctly it spends a further €30,000 or €40,000 on parking, according to the Minister.

The rental for the Equality Authority in Clonmel Street is €402,500, including fifteen parking spaces in the basement. This premises was actually secured by the OPW and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform for the Equality Authority.

The Equality Authority is being required to leave this premises as it is to be occupied by the Office of the Minister for Children - no savings therefore for the tax payer.

3. Funds are still being provided to those involved with the 2007 European Year of Equality. Savings in this regard could yield €320,000 according to the Minister.
The Equality Authority ran an initiative during 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunties. An indication of its success is that the European Commission has made further funding available to the Equality Authority to implement further activities to build on the Year in Ireland. This legacy action plan will cost €382, 400. €300,000 of this funding is being made available by the European Commission under their PROGRESS fund. In order to benefit from this European money, the Equality Authority will have to spend €82,400. It’s impossible to figure how €320,000 can be saved out of this.

4. The Authority engaged in a costly and controversial once-off Anti-Ageism campaign. The campaign cost €230,000 according to the Minister.

The Equality Authority has run a ‘Say No To Ageism’ Week for last 5 years jointly with the HSE and the National Council on Ageing and Older People. Each partner contributes to funding the week. The Week cost €255,454 in 2008. The Equality Authority paid €105,454 as its contribution.

B. Irish Human Rights Commission - Impact of 24% Budget Cut

1. The recently published estimates figures indicate a proposed 24 % cut in the Commission’s Grant for 2009 to approximately €1.6m from 2.1m. This makes the Commission unviable.

2. The proposed cut directly contradicts the recent call by the UN Human Rights Committee (July 2008) to adequately resource the Commission.

3. The Commission has 17 permanent staff and this year. Given that payroll costs are €1.5m and that annual rent and other administrative costs come to €0.5m it is clear that an allocation of €1.6m would be insufficient to allow the Commission continue to survive let alone to exercise its statutory functions

4. The Irish Human Rights Commission was established because the British and Irish Governments promised under the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement to set up two such Human Rights Commissions - one in Northern Ireland and one in this jurisdiction

5. The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement received the backing of the people of Ireland, north and south. In that sense the Irish Human Rights Commission and its counterpart, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, are unusual in having been endorsed directly by the people. It is therefore a key part of the peace agreement and has an ongoing relevance in both parts of the island

6. Some examples of the kind of work undertaken by the Commission since its establishment in 2003 include pressing for the inclusion of extra protection of victims of trafficking in the Immigration Bill currently before the Oireachtas, raising human rights issues in the courts on for example effective access for legal aid for mothers with intellectual disability in childcare proceedings, and family reunification for naturalised citizens. The Commission’s work has often focussed on the rights of vulnerable and marginalised groups.

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