A woman whose child was born as a result of a surrogacy arrangement has lost her High Court action alleging the State’s refusal to pay her maternity benefit amounts to unlawful discrimination in breach of the Equal Status Act.

The Cork Education and Training Board (ETB) has introduced a whistleblower policy to help prevent a repeat of financial irregularities which rocked the education body it succeeded.

A large number of state agencies, including the Equality Authority, have no employees with a disability despite a statutory target that they should account for at least 3% of their workforces.

The new Irish Equality and Human Rights Commission has just come into being, following a lengthy gestation period.

Pavee Point has described as "despicable" the refusal by a funeral home to take the body of a teenage Traveller.

The Chief Commissioner (designate) of the new Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), has said a new system of redress needs to be put in place urgently for asylum seekers.

The Ombudsman for Children is investigating the contracting out of residential childcare services by the Child and Family Agency to the private sector.

Happily married couples will be forced to divorce to comply with the law if either spouse seeks legal recognition of their gender change.

An Equality Authority conference has heard examples of discrimination against Ireland's transgender population in public, at work and in school.

Decisions on religious symbols and dress code by the European Court of Human Rights appear to treat Christians and Muslims in a different light, writes Dr Claire Hogan.

Children’s Ombudsman Emily Logan has been widely welcomed as the new head of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.

One of Ireland’s most legendary paralympians has claimed he was a victim of discrimination after he was unable to board an Aer Lingus flight in Heathrow last night because no one was available to carry out a wheelchair transfer.

A holy row rumbles on over the decision by a local authority to hang a crucifix in its meeting room.

Asylum seekers are facing "systemic and pernicious" delays in having their applications processed, resulting in years of their lives being wasted, the national human rights body has warned.

One in 10 women is now the main breadwinner because of the impact of the recession on male employment.

When journalist Brenda Power claimed in a newspaper article that feuding was the main expression of Traveller culture and that Traveller males are lazy, violent, drunken, and misogynistic, she evoked a response that has not been seen since Mary Ellen Synon attacked the Paralympics in 2000.

Olympic boxing silver medallist John Joe Nevin was released from the Midlands Regional hospital in Mullingar yesterday following an assault at the weekend in which he suffered two broken legs.

An Irish teacher who had her baby through a surrogate mother has been told she was not entitled to maternity leave by the European Court of Justice.

A surrogate who gave birth to twins using genetic material of a couple must, as a matter of law, remain registered as the mother of those children on their birth certificates or there will be “massive” and “radical” consequences, the State has argued before the Supreme Court.

A woman whose child was born as a result of a surrogacy arrangement has brought a High Court action alleging the State’s refusal to pay her maternity benefit amounts to unlawful discrimination. The Equality Authority is supporting the woman’s case.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter expressed his frustration yesterday at the failure of Cabinet colleague Brendan Howlin to agree to the staffing and budget details for the State’s new human rights and equality body.

The Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission are looking to take part in a Supreme Court appeal against a landmark surrogacy ruling.

An Irish teacher who had a baby by a surrogate in California is suing the State and her school because she was refused maternity leave — but a legal opinion from the European Court of Justice did not offer her support.

Departing ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has slammed the Government’s record on human rights and equality, accusing ministers of cowardice on funding decisions.

The Equality and Rights Alliance says under-reporting of discrimination in the workplace is at an alarming level.

The Human Rights and Equality Commission must have a robust independence, writes Katherine Zappone

AGEISM is the most common form of discrimination in the workplace in Ireland and is predicted to get worse when the retirement age is pushed back to 68.

Women could be forced out of the public service because they will have less access to work-sharing and flexible working arrangements under the changes proposed under Croke Park II.

FACEBOOK COO Sheryl Sandberg is a powerful woman. But is she powerful enough to change women’s role in the workplace?

Just over a third of adults with a disability in Ireland are employed – less than half the rate of the rest of the population, a new report shows.

Black Africans are four times more likely to be out of work than white Irish-born citizens, it has emerged.

A new report has stated that almost one in eight adults has suffered discrimination in Ireland.

Recession job fears could undermine decades of progress on sexual harassment says Áilín Quinlan.

Kerry County Council has been found guilty of racial discrimination in the manner in which it carried out a recruitment test on a Polish applicant for a job as a lifeguard.

THE simple answer to the question posed by the National Women’s Council of Ireland as to whether women are “bearing the brunt” of the recession is “No”.

In an upcoming TV documentary Darren Kennedy, who is gay, talks about the obstacles preventing him becoming a father, Arlene Harris reports.

More than one in four civil service staff have witnessed their colleagues make racist remarks about clients or customers in the last year, a survey of racist attitudes in the service has found.

A new body which will replace the Equality Authority must remain approachable, supportive, and be clearly available to everybody, particularly in a time of economic challenge when vulnerable people were at the greatest risk of discrimination, its outgoing chairwoman has warned.

The Irish Human Rights Commission has expressed concern about its future independence under controversial plans by the Government to merge the organisation with the Equality Authority.

A beefed-up human rights agency — combining two bodies into one — will have the power to hold its own inquiries under proposed legislation.

A taxi watchdog has warned drivers to stop using additional green lights on car roofs amid concerns they advertise nationality.

A taxi watchdog has warned drivers to stop using additional green lights on car roofs amid concerns they advertise nationality.

If the Catholic Church was forced, like every other “multinational”, to obey the equality employment law in Ireland, perhaps we would be in a better place.

IT is safe to say that our partners do not relish the idea of getting bigger and being powerless to do anything about it, or having to ride the emotional see-saw of constant mood swings, or worse yet, having to endure a bout of morning sickness which can strike at ‘any time’ of the day, but as an expectant dad there are certain things you can do to support mum-to-be: