Vol. 555 No. 5
340 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans for implementation in relation to remit of his Department of the EU Commission Directive 2000/43/EC on race and ethnic origin, adopted by the Council of Europe on 29 June 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19274/02]
The purpose of Directive 2000/43/EC, race directive, is to lay down a framework for combating discrimination on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin with a view to putting into effect in the member states the principle of equal treatment. Discrimination in employment and in the supply of goods and services on grounds of gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race, colour, nationality, or ethnic or national origins, and membership of the Traveller community is already prohibited in Ireland following commencement of the Employment Equality Act, 1998, on 18 October 1999 and the Equal Status Act, 2000, on 25 October 2000.
Implementation of Directive 2000/43/EC, race directive, will, however, necessitate amendment of that legislation. A discussion paper was circulated by my Department to relevant Departments, the social partners, the Office of the Director of Equality Investigations, the equality tribunal, and the Equality Authority in July 2002 in relation to the implementation of the employment aspects of this directive and Directive 2000/78/EC, framework employment directive. These organisations were invited to make submissions which will form the basis of further consultations.
An examination of the equal status legislation is also being carried out at present with a view to identifying the amendments necessary in order to give effect to those aspects of the directive related to discrimination in areas other than employment. Pending completion of this review it is not possible to indicate the precise amendments which will be necessary in order to ensure compliance with the directive. It is intended to transpose the directive into Irish law by the deadline of July 2003, set out in the directive.
