Minister for (Justice), Equality...announces Press Council plans & dumps on Equality Authority

national | arts and media | opinion/analysis

Monday October 11, 2004 20:27

by Michael Hennigan - Finfacts.com

Michael McDowell has ministerial responsibility for the Equality Authority but for the second time in months, he has shown his contempt for it.

At the weekend, McDowell announced plans to introduce legislation before the year end to provide statutory authority to an independent Press Council financed by the media.

McDowell made valid points regarding the lack of redress provided to both readers of the Irish Times and Independent Newspapers. However he couldn't resist a dig at the Equality Authority which he had dismissed in an interview last summer as a 'ginger group.'

This time McDowell said that he would put his plans through a shredder if Niall Crowley CEO of the Equality Authority was serious about using the planned changes to push 'the equality agenda.'

All human rights legislation provides tabloid fodder in the early years of enactment. The Unfair Dismissals Act is an example. In common with all rights legislation, the early years of the Act provided tabloid journalists with much fodder as there were the inevitable share of frivolous cases along with the worthy ones. Today it's the Equal Status Act which provides tabloid journalism with material. It is easy for a priviliged white middle class male to make an issue of what is termed political correctness. It took time for the administration of the Unfair Dismissals Act to settle down and the same also applies to the Equal Status Act. There will always be a number of bad judgments in the adjudication process provided by rights legislation but that is not an argument for no such legislation.

McDowell's official position towards the Equality Authority was set out on the publication of the Equality Authority's 2003 Report earlier this year. It was obviously written by a civil servant:

'I am delighted to be here this afternoon to launch the Annual Report of the Equality Authority for 2003 which chronicles the achievements of another active and successful year for the Authority. I wish to congratulate the Board, its Chairperson Karen Erwin, Chief Executive Niall Crowley, and the staff of the Equality Authority for their work throughout the year...The 2003 annual report illustrates the Authority's impressive range of activity in anti-discrimination casework and its developmental work to promote a more equality conscious society. As society has changed over the past few years so too has the demand on the Authority's services. Discrimination on the race and Traveller grounds dominate the case files of the Authority under both the Employment Equality Act 1998 and the Equal Status Act 2000. In fact for the first time the race ground is the largest cause of complaint in relation to discrimination in employment.'

So when McDowell reads the script to accompany the 2004 report, expect the same empty blather.

Earlier post related to media accountability;

Irish Times: Should it appoint a Public Editor/Ombudsman?
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=66186&topic=artsandmedia

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Minister for (Justice), Equality...announces Press Council plans & dumps on Equality Authority