Equality News Autumn 2003 Ireland's EU Presidency - An Exciting Time for Equality Why a Forum on the Workplace of the Future? Launching Anti-Racist Workplace Week November 3rd - 9th Publication of 'Library Access' Viewpoint: The Irish Deaf Society of what reasonable accommodation is Agreement. A number of ground breaking and why it is important. initiatives in this area have been led by the Equality Authority in the recent period. Contents Update Behind this wider public awareness we are These include: also working to support a practice of reasonable accommodation of customers with • An equality proofing exercise carried out p2 Update by Niall Crowley, Chief By Niall Crowley disabilities. Joint work with the Library with the Office of Social Inclusion on the Executive Officer, Equality Authority November 3rd to November 7th marked the Council has involved the publication of a National Action Plan for Social Inclusion p4 Ireland's EU Presidency by Willie O'Dea fourth Anti Racist Workplace Week. The guide on the reasonable accommodation of • The development of equality impact T.D., Minister of State at the organisations involved this year are: current and potential library users with assessment guidelines for use by the City Department of Justice, Equality & Law Congress, IBEC, Small Firms Association, disabilities. Joint work is also being developed and County Development Boards Reform Construction Industry Federation, Know with the Irish Bankers Federation who have • The engagement of consultants to Racism and the Equality Authority. prepared a stocktake of initiatives already develop an integrated proofing p6 European Briefing by Brian Harvey taken in this area by the banks. An exchange mechanism encompassing poverty p8 Why a Forum on the Workplace for Substantial progress has been made in the is being developed with the Irish Bank proofing, gender mainstreaming and the Future by Peter Cassells, Executive build-up to the week. Organisations and Officials’ Association (IBOA). Further work is equality proofing. This involves a Chairperson, National Centre for enterprises have been asked to demonstrate planned with An Post on this issue. partnership between the Equality Authority, the Department of Justice, Partnership and Performance their commitment to the anti-racist It is hoped to build on these initiatives over workplace by hanging a poster that sets out Equality & Law Reform, the Department p11 Making Progress on Equality in Public the coming years so that we can reach out to their commitment to a workplace that: of Social & Family Affairs (Office of Services by Evelyn Collins, Chief key service providers in local communities Social Inclusion) and the Combat Poverty Executive, Equality Commission for • Is free from discrimination and harassment; and support a greater accessibility for and Agency. Both Departments have agreed Northern Ireland • Is welcoming to Black and minority ethnic participation by people with disabilities in to test out the template in a policy area (including Traveller) employees and customers; key local services. under their responsibility. p14 School Planning needs to nurture • Accommodates and values cultural diversity • The implementation of employment Equality by Patrick O'Leary, Equality Important successes have been achieved in in the workplace; equality reviews in private, public and Authority recent legal work of the Equality Authority • Takes practical steps to ensure equality; and Partnership rights issues for same sex couples voluntary sector organisations. p16 European Year of People with • Communicates a message for greater were raised in an important settlement with • The development of a template for an Disabilites equality within the wider community. the Department of Social and Family Affairs equal status review and the testing out of this template in the North Western The poster is backed up by leaflets which are in a case on the sexual orientation ground. p18 Library Access by Niall Crowley, Health Board. This is a joint project with available for circulation to all employees. The The Department had refused to issue a Free Equality Authority the Department of Justice, Equality and response to this initiative has been very Travel Pass to the cohabiting partner of a gay Law Reform. p21 Blanchardstown Equal Initiative Article positive to date. man. The Department accepted that the by Terry McCabe, Blanchardstown non-statutory scheme did not extend This reflects a body of work with a capacity During the week the partners will be EQUAL benefits to same sex and opposite sex to underpin the wider commitment to launching a publication prepared by the ILO cohabiting couples on an equal basis and was equality proofing policies and services in the p24 Poverty/Inequality Interface by Carole on ‘Achieving Equality in Intercultural not in conformity with the Equal Status Act. public sector contained in the ‘Sustaining Sullivan, Equality Authority Workplaces’. It is hoped that individual Progress’ National Agreement. The roll out enterprises around the country will mark the Age Discrimination in the provision of motor p26 Case Reports by Patrick O'Leary, of this commitment across a range of week with their own initiatives. insurance was the focus in another important Equality Authority and successful case. Royal and Sun Alliance Government Departments over the coming year will be important. p28 Viewpoint by Kevin Stanley, Irish Deaf Another area of work for the Equality were found to be discriminating on the age Society Authority that has made considerable ground in refusing a quotation based solely progress is on the theme of reasonable on an upper age limit with no account taken p30 Racism in the Workplace by Patricia accommodation of people with disabilities as of the person's particular circumstances. Callan, Small Firms Association employees and as customers. Equality proofing has been another p32 Events/Diary In partnership with the European Year of significant focus for recent work. This is People with Disabilities we have centred around the Equality Proofing launched a television advertisement on Working Group convened by the Department the issue of reasonable accommodation. of Justice Equality and Law Reform under This seeks to build a public consciousness the ‘Sustaining Progress’ National Page 2 Equality News Equality News Page 3 As you can see from the programme details European Union as a whole. A fruitful co- Conferences and Seminars during the (see box on opposite page), our activities operation between the Presidency and the Irish EU Presidency – January to June Ireland’s EU range from advancing legislative proposals Parliament is particularly important in order 2004 to organising information events such as to advance legislative proposals and I look • High Level Group on Gender conferences and seminars. In addition, my forward to working closely with the Mainstreaming, Dublin Castle, 9 January Department is undertaking work on the Parliament during our Presidency. development of sexual harassment • Tipping the Scales – Making Work Life Presidency In March 2004, I will address the United indicators in the workplace. This project is Balance Happen, Letterkenny, Co. Nations session of the Commission of the being carried out in conjunction with our Donegal, 6 February Status of Women in New York on behalf of Dutch counterparts. Ireland is undertaking An exciting time the EU. This meeting will examine issues of • Gender Mainstreaming – Partnership in the first stage of the project, which involves for equality as concern to women generally and focus on Practice, Dublin Castle, 15 April carrying out research on this topic. The Ireland assumes two core themes. The first theme is women intention is that this research will contribute • Gender Equality in Practice in a new the Presidency of in conflict resolution and the second theme to the development of indicators by the Europe, Limerick, 6/7 May the EU is men and gender equality. This meeting Dutch Presidency in the second half of 2004. will bring together approximately two • Violence against Women, Dublin Castle, Minister of State The legislative tasks are considerable. My hundred countries and about fifty 24/25 May at the Department officials will be working on two proposals international women’s organisations of Justice, Equality for new directives on gender equality; one including the European Women’s Lobby. • Implementing Equality – Planned and & Law Reforrm, is a consolidation of existing directives and Systematic Approaches to Policy I should also mention that equality issues Willie O’Dea, the other is a proposal for a new directive Development, Limerick, 27/28 May already form part of the framework of the outlines the on gender equality in goods and services. Employment Guidelines and the Anti- Policy issues arising during the Irish EU equality elements of the Irish EU The proposal to consolidate the existing Poverty work, both of which feature in Presidency – January to June 2004 Presidency Programme. gender equality directives will involve co- Ireland’s wider Presidency Programme. The • Presentation to the European decision with the European Parliament. As I’m sure you all know, Ireland assumes conference on ‘Approaches to Policy Parliament's Committee on Women's The proposal for a gender equality the Presidency of the EU on 1 January 2004 Development’ will look at partnership Rights and Equal Opportunities, Brussels, directive in goods and services will require and will hold this office until 30 June 2004. strategies