asked the Minister for Labour if he will outline the consultation he has had with the Employment Equality Agency in relation to the Estimates; and the implications for the agency of the Government's decision.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment Equality Agency Estimate.
6.
Officers of my Department met representatives of the Employment Equality Agency on 26 August 1987 to discuss the agency's estimate for 1988.
I am satisfied that the amount to be allocated to the agency in 1988 will be sufficient for them to continue to carry out their statutory functions.
Would the Minister accept that the Estimates contemplate a situation in which all of the money that was available to the agency in the past for discretionary expenditure will no longer be available? In 1988 the administration will be looked after and salaries will be paid so that people can stay at their desks, but there will not be money to engage in promotional activities, surveys or any other type of discretionary activity.
I would not accept that. They have adequate resources and, unlike most agencies, the discretionary element is quite substantial. The Estimate for this year is £37,000 less than the 1987 grant, but a substantial amount of that figure was for an unfilled post which was frozen by the embargo. The remaining cuts relate to the across-the-board cuts in administration overheads, travel, subsistence, entertainment and allowances. In the circumstances I believe the figure they are being given is quite sufficient.
Does the Minister not accept that the ability of the Employment Equality Agency to participate in joint surveys with other agencies, such as the ESRI, is entirely impaired by the cut? Would he not agree that there are joint committees of this House such as, for example, the Joint Committee of Women's Rights to which a report was submitted by the Employment Equality Agency working jointly with the ESRI, and that such work will now come to an end? Does he not agree that there will be no money for consultancy, investigative or probing work by the agency?
I do not accept that. They will have sufficient resources. I have had a number of discussions with members of the staff of the agency during which that matter was not raised.
They are raising it with everyone else.
The only cut in the amount available for this body relates to a frozen post for research officer and an overhead cut for travel and subsistence expenses. There is no further cut in their research facilities.
Does the Minister not agree that a cut in their travelling grant would impact on their ability to run regional equality seminars, for which there is a high demand?
The figure provided in the Estimate for travel and subsistence would be adequate to travel around the country several times.
Would the Minister not agree that the sum of money allocated in the last few years was not a discretionary sum available to the agency? It was contained in the salaries Estimates and was not available to the agency to use unless that post was approved. Therefore, there is a substantial cut in their——
The Deputy is making an assertion rather than asking a question.
What the Deputy said is correct, but the figure includes approximately £17,000 for the frozen post.
Is the Minister satisfied that the budget for the agency is adequate to allow them to fulfil one of their most important objectives, that is, to get the right legal advice and to use all available resources to bring cases on behalf of people who need to be represented? This is a matter of great concern to us and I would suggest that the Minister could not be satisfied with the amount of money available.
I have made my position clear. In difficult circumstances the Employment Equality Agency have done quite well in their allocation.