Equality Authority hits out at 43% funding cut

The Equality Authority tonight revealed it lost 43% of its funding in the Budget.

The agency said more than €2.5m has been slashed from its books which, if fully implemented, may render it unable to carry out its core functions.

Last year the body responded to more than 15,000 queries from some of the most vulnerable citizens in society.

The Equality Authority claimed the cutbacks imposed last month by the Government were disproportionate compared to other bodies in the Justice, Equality and Law Reform sector.

Impact and Congress trade unions raised serious concerns over the savings, which included the decentralisation of a further 15 posts to Roscrea.

Impact claimed the organisation is being singled out because it has been an irritant to Government departments and other public service bodies.

Equality Authority chief executive Niall Crowley said a drop in funding from almost €5.9m to €3.3m will severely curtail its work of providing legal advice and representation to people experiencing discrimination.

“Conducting inquiries or equality reviews, raising the level of public awareness of rights under equality legislation, and providing supports for good practice to employers, trade unions and service providers will also be effected,” he said.

“Cutbacks in the current contexts are inevitable, but it is the scale of the cutbacks that are disproportionate.

“We are looking to meet with Justice Minister, Dermot Ahern, who has said that despite cutbacks his commitment is to ensure agencies under his remit can carry out their core functions.

“Hopefully we can build on that commitment.”

The Equality Authority promotes equality and combats discrimination under equality legislation.

In 2007, it aided a record number of people raising concerns over age, disability, race, gender, and from members of the Traveller community.

It has also probed allegations against public-sector bodies under the Equal Status Act.

Congress Assistant General Secretary, Sally Anne Kinahan said the cuts will do serious damage to the Republic’s emerging equality and human rights infrastructure.

“Given the relatively small savings to the overall budget that these cuts represent, it is hard not to wonder whether there is some political or ideological motivation behind this move. Certainly, they make no financial sense,” Ms Kinahan said.

Impact’s national secretary Paddy Keating added: “The Authority employs just 53 people so the savings are marginal in the context of the €460m Department of Justice budget. But the implications for those who rely on its services are huge.”