Vol. 481 No. 7
67 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the revised Employment Equality Bill will be published; the amendments, if any, he will make to the previous Bill to deal with the implications arising from the Supreme Court decision; and the other amendments, if any, he has to the Bill. [17087/97]
The Employment Equality Bill, 1996, is being revised in light of the Supreme Court judgment of 15 May 1997. The revised Bill will amend the three specific provisions which the Supreme Court identified as repugnant to the Constitution — the obligation on employers to provide a reasonable accommodation to people with disabilities; vicarious liability in criminal proceedings and evidence by certificate.
I am disposed also to putting in place the new institutional infrastructure for equality at an early date. For this reason, I am examining the option of legislating for establishment of the equality authority in the revised Employment Equality Bill, which I expect to be the first of the two equality Bills to come before the Oireachtas.
