A system under stress

WE HAVE five state bodies overseeing disputes in the workplace — but yet cases take up to two years to get a hearing.

These organisations and their dedicated staff provide a crucial public service — but is anybody well served by the system?

In these pages recently, Fergus Finlay wrote about the importance of ensuring that the good work done by the Equality Tribunal is not undermined by the reforms under way within my department. I share his concerns.