Vol. 482 No. 6
381 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the order, if any, which has been made under section 12(2) of the Employment Equality Act, 1977 in respect of the Defence Forces, particularly in relation to section 2(b); and if not, the steps, if any, he will take to prevent discrimination in the making of deductions from pay based on marital status. [19061/97]
The Employment Equality Bill, 1996, as passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, applied to discrimination in the Defence Forces, inter alia, on grounds of marital status. The President referred the Bill in its entirety to the Supreme Court under Article 26 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court, in its judgment of 15 May 1997, found certain other aspects of the Bill to be repugnant to the Constitution.
My Department is currently revising the Bill in light of the Supreme Court judgment. This revision process is progressing satisfactorily, and it is intended that the application of the new Bill in respect of the Defence Forces will be similar to that provided in the earlier Bill.
No orders have been made under section 12(2) of the Employment Equality Act, 1977, in respect of the Defence Forces.
