I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 22, 24, 25, 32, 33, 35 and 37 together.
I intend to bring forward two anti-discrimination Bills — the employment equality Bill dealing with discrimination in the workplace and the equal status Bill covering non-employment areas. Both Bills will prohibit discrimination in their respective areas on the grounds of gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race, colour, nationality, national or ethnic origin and membership of the travelling community. These grounds, and hence the minority groups which will be protected from discrimination, are as set out originally in the Fianna Fáil and Labour Programme for a Partnership Government.
The employment equality Bill has been included in the Bills expected to be published prior to Easter as outlined last month in the Government legislation programme. I hope the equal status Bill will be published in the latter part of 1996.
Ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination cannot take place prior to the enactment of these Bills. The requirements of the Convention are borne in mind in drafting the Bills and I will ensure that any other steps necessary for ratification are identified as soon as possible.
I have recently met representatives of the Licensed Vintners' Association, the Vintners' Federation of Ireland and the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland. We agreed that these bodies will let me have their proposals as to how their concerns can be met in the equal status Bill.
My Department has regular contacts with representatives of minority groups.