Maman Poulet

Photo owned by Môsieur J. (cc)

The blogging year that is (the rest of it was great too!)

252 posts this year which is my busiest blogging year yet since I began in 2005. I thought like loads of others I would post a few links to some highlights in a very rapid recap as it’s been a very long year and the last few days of reading back over the posts has been fun!

January brought Michael Lynn’s greatest hits.. and a bit of fun releasing different tracks and getting him some airtime on radio (Never thought I’d become an A&R woman!)

The search for Ireland’s Eurovision entry was my first foray into live blogging this year – McGarr and Golez trapped me into further ventures later in the year including Questions and Answers, the budget and US election coverage. I also joined lots of other Irish bloggers in surviving the Irish apprentice in 2008. There is huge potential in this for 2009.

March was the month of the blog awards and this lovely piece of glass!

April saw the publication of the Devine report into matters concerning Niall McElwee and who knew what and when. Dr. McElwee guest posted on the blog in response to the report, something which did not occur in the mainstream media. Dr. Francis Finnegan also came forward with her views in a guest post on the blog.

Eoghan Harris blamed bloggers on Bertie’s downfall.

Brian Cowen became Taoiseach in May and we got a new cabinet including the Minister in charge of equality who wasn’t very equal in his thoughts about the gays 15 years ago.

July saw the beginning of the end of properly funded independent equality and human rights infrastructures in Ireland and for the rest of year I’ve been keeping an eye on the twists and turns in budget cuts, resignations and political machinations.

The month of September exhausted me as a blogger and human being thanks to my curiosity about Sarah Palin’s ‘trip to Ireland‘ and a scoop about Irish Rail enforcing discrimination in terms of same sex couples and travel passes by means of crude notices to staff.

October continued with far too much US election coverage and not a lot of blogging just too much pointing out and electoral pop culture overdosing!

I met Commissioner McCreevy for lunch in Brussels in November and got a lot of briefing on things EU on a press/blogger trip to Brussels. I intend looking westwards a lot more during 2009 and sure won’t we have Lisbon II to keep us intrigued. (Scrapes bottom of barrel for an adjective there!).

Throughout 2008 I tried to chronicle the campaign (!) (and my commentary on it) for same sex partnership recognition I have a feeling I might be doing that in 2009, 2010…..

I’ve enjoyed meeting many new bloggers this year and getting to know others a whole lot better and I’ve been inspired by their energy and commitment, respect, support, sense of humour and friendliness. I’ve also met a few of my non blogging readers on my travels and been a bit embarrassed sometimes by their knowledge of the inner workings of my brain…:)

Happy New Year all!!

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In the category of ‘look what a useless shower of muppets our government are…’ (Large category I know!)

Just before Christmas the UK government announced that they will be fast tracking the roll out of the programme to vaccinate young women between the ages of 12 and 17. The roll out of the programme has been so successful including a 90 percent take up amongst 12 and 13 year olds that the older age groups are now going to be included earlier.

The Nursing Times reports

Routine HPV vaccination was introduced for girls aged 12-13 (year 8 ) in September.

Originally girls aged 16-18 were also to be offered the vaccine in the 2009/10 school year and girls aged 15-17 would be offered the vaccine in 2010/11.

Health minister Dawn Primarolo said: ‘This vaccination programme is about saving lives. It’s great news that more than 70 per cent of 12-13 year old girls have already had their first vaccine doses. I want to thank the local health teams, schools, girls and parents for making this programme such a success.

‘Next year we’ll be investing more money so that Trusts can bring forward their catch-up programmes to cover 13-17 year old girls. This means that girls can be offered protection against cervical cancer earlier.’

They started vaccinating in September and are now so far ahead they are getting the money to go vaccinate the rest sooner!? (UK Departmental press release here)

What’s Mary Harney doing again? Canceling the programme! The UK’s economy is in the pits and they are finding money when it’s needed without a lot of agitation. I wonder if it would be considered unpatriotic to take your daughter to Newry…

However news breaks today that Minister Harney has softened her cough and told the HSE to go ahead with price negotiations with the drug companies on the cost of the vaccine. And she may be open to private sponsorship for the vaccines – Maybelline or Prada or the like Minister?

What will be sponsored next? Hip Replacements? Cataracts?

The Facebook group which Red Mum has started can be joined here.

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I’ve been busy doing nothing except being a bit ill, not eating a lot and watching Darts and despairing at Israel and the lack of leadership from anywhere else in the world on the situation.

Received an interesting comment today on the Equality Authority Issue (which won’t be going away anytime soon!).

Look at the make up of the board of the National Disability Authority and the Board of the Equality Authority.

See anything of note? Are competent disabled people (or people working in the disability field) such a rare species in Ireland that so many of them have to double job? Are board members in receipt of stipends (€9,000 in the case of the Equality Authority) for both seats?

I’ll let the Cookie Monster entertain you while you figure it out

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It’s been a funny old week so far with that stuff from the Pope which some say we should ignore or laugh off but I think there are a lot of queers going home for xmas with it ringing in their ears.

Today Channel 4 announce their shock jock ’scoop’ factor for the alternative Christmas message and it’s a long long way from Quentin Crisp.

Adam Long emails me tonight with his thoughts…

Channel 4 has decided to invite Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to deliver their alternative Christmas message. This decision is a complete disgrace and should be immediately reversed.

Under the leadership of this vile and obnoxious bigot, Iran has executed countless numbers of gay people in what they call a crackdown on immoral and unislamic behaviour. In 2005, pictures from Iran of two teenagers being hanged in a public square for being gay shocked the world. (Photo is upsetting).

This repugnant regime also actively denies the Holocaust and is a world leader  in propagating anti-semitism and hatred of Jewish people around the world. Meanwhile women are beaten and arrested by Ahmadinejad’s “morality” police if they dress “immodestly”. In Iran this means not adhering to strict Islamic dress codes by showing too much flesh.

Now Channel 4, a broadcaster who until now I held in high esteem for their progressive and enlightened news values, has decided to give a platform to this despot and by doing so are giving legitimacy to the human rights violations he is perpetrating against his own people and the hate he is trying to export around the world.

A diversity of views should be welcomed but surely Channel 4 could have achieved this by inviting someone on who does not persecute gay people or other groups in society. There are so many more worthy people who could have been given this honour instead of this hate-monger.

Unfortunately there is a view in certain left-wing circles that your enemy’s enemy is your friend. Some people who would consider themselves liberal and progressive (Channel 4 Journalists I’m sure) conveniently overlook things as homophobia and misogyny if the countries spouting such bile are, for example, anti-American or critical of Israel. For me being a liberal means respecting basic human rights and standing up against bigotry no matter where it comes from. Ahmadinejad along with the likes of Ratzinger is the very embodiment of such bigotry.

Please e-mail Channel 4 to urge them to reconsider their decision. If they go ahead with giving a platform to this homophobic despot it will be a smack in the face to every gay viewer of the station and reasonable people everywhere.

Do you think anyone else cares?

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The funeral of Rebecca Hoban took place today. You probably will not hear much about her funeral, there were not hoards of cameras and reporters sitting outside Whitefriar Street Church this morning as her family gathered to remember her.

She was not a former Bond girl but she was also killed in violent circumstances last week.

The stabbing which led to her death took place not in a detached house in Howth but in a house used to house men who had been homeless.

Rebecca was also a mother, but she was from an inner city flat complex and her son was in care.

As you remember other women who were recently killed violently spare some thoughts for Rebecca and read this report by Kitty Holland about her funeral and her life.

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Only $13.56 (reduced!) from Atlasbooks

I don’t think there will be any photos of her stop over in Ireland though

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During the Order of Business in the Seanad this week Senator David Norris has raised issues concerning the resignation of Niall Crowley and cuts faced by the Equality Authority on several occasions.

On Friday Senator Norris informed the house that he had been harrassed by a government minister about raising issues concerning matters related to Niall Crowley’s resignation. Specifically the Minister was angry that Norris had raised the matter of the involvement of now Secretary General, Sean Aylward in the investigation of a case taken against the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.  The Minister (as yet unnamed) warned the Senator that he would be ‘politically punished’ if he continued to raise the matters. The relevant piece from the order of business is included below.

Senator David Norris: On foot of newspaper reports, without any personal animus against people whom I do not recall ever having met and about whom I do not know anything, I have raised questions about the way in which the chief executive officer of the Equality Authority was driven out of office. He is a person of the highest integrity. I asked a series of questions. I wish to put on the record of the House that attempts have been made by senior members of Government to intimidate me, to indicate to me that I would be politically punished if I attempted to continue to raise these matters. If that ever happens again, I will name the Minister who did it, and I will not stop in this House. I will do the same outside and I will let anybody who dares to intimidate me or to interfere with the democratic process take his or her chance against me in the courts. I am one of the most litigious people in this land and I have never lost – the worst I had was a draw.

We have indicated that that we will celebrate the first meeting of Dáil Éireann in 1919 and it is perfectly proper, wonderful and honourable that we should. In the context of the attacks upon human rights and the swingeing cuts, the Government should bear in mind these two sentences from the programme of Government for the First Dáil in 1919:
We declare that we desire our country to be ruled in accordance with the principles of Liberty, Equality, and Justice for all, which alone can secure permanence of Government in the willing adhesion of the people…

It shall be the first duty of the Government of the Republic to make provision for the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of the children, to secure that no child shall suffer hunger or cold from lack of food, clothing, or shelter, but that all shall be provided with the means and facilities requisite for their proper education and training as Citizens of a Free and Gaelic Ireland.

That is the test against which the Government will be judged.

Senator Terry Leyden: Successfully.

Senator Jim Walsh: Some €45 million has been spent on the Equality Authority in the past decade, which is a considerable sum of money.

Senator David Norris: It is buttons compared with the waste.

Senator Jim Walsh: This year the authority’s funding will enable it to have 38 staff.

Senator David Norris: None of them has any experience.

(Many thanks to Equality Dude for pointing Friday’s matters out to me – I knew David had his engine going earlier in the week on this but I had not realised the house met on Friday never mind the disclosures he had made!)

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Justice Equality and Law Reform Questions in the Dáil on Thursday afternoon may have passed you by unnoticed – but fear not I am here with the best bit.  Deputy Pat Rabbitte versus Minister Dermot Ahern on the matter of the Equality Authority.

Watch out for the bit where the Minister nearly gets thrown out of the Dail by the Leas Ceann Comhairle!  And the special shout out of protection for the Church.

Rabbitte was on super wind up form. I will post later about all the inaccuracies made by the Minister but I think this should be left it all it’s glory for you to read.

If you don’t think the recent cuts to the Equality Authority and Irish Human Rights Commission were a matter of political interference before this….

2. Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding contacts he has had with the Equality Authority regarding difficulties they will face as a result of his decision to cut its budget by 42% for 2009; the reason he did not accept the suggestion put forward by the board of the authority for alternative cuts that would have resulted in savings of 32%; his views on the resignation of a person (details supplied) as chief executive and his view that the budget cut imposed by his Department had rendered the authority unviable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47438/08]

Deputy Dermot Ahern: At the outset I wish to state the Government’s absolute commitment to the principles of equality and the elimination of discrimination as enunciated in much equality legislation passed by the Oireachtas. I commend the work of the Equality Authority and I state my commitment to ensuring a secure and viable future for the Agency.

The Government and its predecessors promoted the legislation and which earmarked €47 million for the Equality Authority since 1997, increasing from an initial budget of €378,000 and rising to €5.9 million in 2007. The Government and its predecessors increased the number of staff in the Equality Authority to 53 in 2007.

We will continue to earmark substantial taxpayer resources to the Equality Authority to allow it to carry out its core functions as per the legislation. Naturally, when the national finances permit, we will also ensure that the budget of the Equality Authority is appropriately increased.

I am requesting all agencies which fall under the remit of my Department, including the Equality Authority, to engage in coming months with the expenditure review group which will take an independent analysis of the position relating to their budgets, efficiencies and the capacity to fulfil their core functions.

I accept that 2009 will be a difficult year for all public bodies, including the Equality Authority and other agencies in the justice area. However, I am satisfied there is sufficient funding for the authority to enable it to discharge its core functions. I welcome the statement this week from the board of the authority declaring its commitment and determination to continue to work effectively and independently for the elimination of discrimination and the promotion of equality in our society.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: Is it not hypocritical in the extreme of the Minister to trot out some mealy-mouthed platitudes in the House about his commitment to equality, when he has driven out the chief executive from the Equality Authority and has effectively broken up the agency? Is it not the case that the Equality Authority cannot possibly discharge its functions under the strictures now on it? What is the point of reiterating that this Government has done this or the other? The agency only has been in existence for approximately ten years and Fianna Fáil has been in government throughout that time. The Minister could take any agency and multiply its funding by ten years’ budgets to give the impression of enormous largesse and support.

Is the Minister proud of the fact that he has driven out the chief executive, a man who has won commendations on all sides in respect of his performance and the independent and courageous manner in which he discharged his duties with integrity? Is the Minister satisfied that the agency effectively has been undermined because it cannot and will not be able to discharge its functions in the future?

Deputy Dermot Ahern: The ethos of my political party on its formation was to bring equality into a highly divided and class-ridden society. I take pride in the fact that all of the equality legislation that has been passed by this House has been introduced by Fianna Fáil-led Governments, of which neither Deputy Rabbitte nor his party, the so-called Labour Party, the party of the people, was a member.

Deputy Charles Flanagan: That is not true.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: As for the specific issue of the Equality Authority, Members on all sides, particularly those in the Opposition, have been constantly raising the valid issue of spending on public relations and consultancies. It will do no harm to refer to the 2007 report, which Deputy Rabbitte should have read before coming into the House, on the Equality Authority. In 2007, it spent €220,000 on public relations and €100,000 on consultants. A total of €614,000 was spent on the European Year of Equal Opportunities, half of which came from European funding and half from its own budget, giving a net expenditure of €300,000. It also spent €350,000 on an anti-racist week and €230,000 on a national campaign against ageism, the expenditure on which was criticised by the Opposition in this House. It spent €184,000 on publications and, in effect, €440,000 on rent of premises in Dublin. However, it could make savings by going down and spending only €120,000 on rental accommodation in Roscrea, where 15 employees of the Equality Authority already reside. When Members on the other side of the House raise the issue of consultancies and expenditure, it is valid to go through such expenditure to ascertain where there can be savings.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: I wish to facilitate a brief supplementary question.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: Again, I revert to the point that I made previously—–

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: If the Minister will have regard to the Chair please.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: I wish to finish my point, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I wish to again emphasise—–

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: I must inform the Minister that a strict time limit applies, including the time for ministerial responses.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: I will revert to the issue later.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: The Minister should allow the Chair to operate.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: While Members do not have time at present to deal with the novel proposition that the purpose of Fianna Fáil coming into existence was to address our class-ridden society, they may return to it at another time. What does the Minister purport to have told Members in his reply, having read out various expenditure headings? Which of them does he suggest is improper? Is it not the task of the Equality Authority to deal with issues such as racism? If excessive rental costs for the headquarters have been incurred, who approved them? Why did someone in the Minister’s Government not do something about it over the past 11 years?

Can the Minister assure the House that the forcing out of Mr. Niall Crowley has nothing to do with the Equality Authority’s referral to the Garda Síochána of an allegation that the Secretary General of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, while head of the Prison Service, had breached the Employment Equality Acts? If the Minister is so interested in saving money, is it not the case that the board members of this organisation used to serve free gratis for years until the appointment of the new board by the Minister, the members of which now are paid a fee of €10,000 each? Can the Minister answer these questions?

Deputy Dermot Ahern: First, I will not take lectures from Deputy Rabbitte on the genesis of my party, particularly as I am not altogether sure what was his political genesis, given that he has been in so many political parties since he entered this House and beforehand. As for the Equality Authority, I validly listed out areas in which I believe savings can be effected because we are now in a different situation. When I was dealing with the Estimates a number of months ago, I made the point I was trying to make in my earlier response. As I stated during my last Question Time, I told my officials that my number one priority in my Department was tackling crime. This is the reason that, for example, Operation Anvil’s budget has been increased by €1 million from €20 million to €21 million, as well as an increase of 20% in CAB’s budget—–

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: That is the reason the Minister cut the authority’s budget by 42%?

Deputy Dermot Ahern: —–and I am keeping Garda numbers on the street. I wished to concentrate on the issue of policing and tackling crime.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: The Minister knows this is entirely disingenuous.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: I stated that, unfortunately, all the other agencies that comprise the soft part of my Department were obliged to take a significant cut right across the Department.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: Did everyone take a cut of 42%?

Deputy Dermot Ahern: Yes. I made the point to the Equality Authority people—–

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: The rest of the agencies experienced cuts of 2%, 4% and 6%.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: —–when they came into my office recently—–

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: The Minister, without interruption

Deputy Dermot Ahern: —–that, to a certain extent, the fact the Department only deducted 1% from the National Disability Authority has been hung around my neck. I made this point strongly to the members of the authority’s board and the chief executive when I met them last week. I told them the Government had made a specific decision when preparing the Estimates and the budget that people with disabilities would be those least affected by cuts. This is the reason there is such a small cut in respect of that authority.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Go raibh maith agat a Aire. Ceist Uimh. 3.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: What about the board members?

Deputy Dermot Ahern: However, when one examines this expenditure, it is valid to ask a question on amounts such as €184,000 on publications—–

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: When did the board members get—–

Deputy Dermot Ahern: —–€220,000 on public relations—–

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: The Minister is filibustering.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: —–€184,000 on publications—–

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: The Minister is filibustering. He is spoofing.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: —–and €100,000 on consultants. No, I am not filibustering.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: What is the answer to the two questions?

Deputy Dermot Ahern: I must say the Deputy is adding to the nasty—–

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: The Minister is filibustering.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:The Minister must conclude his reply.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: —–leak that came from people.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: Nasty?

Deputy Dermot Ahern: It reflects more on those who made such a nasty leak against a good public servant.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: Is that all the Minister has to say?

Deputy Dermot Ahern:It is a disgrace. As usual, the Deputy comes into this House, as he did before many years ago—–

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: The Minister is flimflamming. He is filibustering.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Ceist Uimh. 3, in ainm an Teachta Charles Flanagan.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: —–when he tried to denigrate the church.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: He is filibustering—–

Deputy Dermot Ahern: He is at it again and I am not filibustering. I have given the Deputy all the facts.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: —–and he did not answer any of the questions.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: I have given all the facts to the Deputy.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: The Deputies will resume their seats.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: What the Deputy did is a disgrace in respect of a good public servant. This leak was a despicable effort to try to blacken him and the Deputy is adding to it.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: The Minister will not disobey the Chair.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: I will not come into this House—–

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: I will suspend—–

Deputy Dermot Ahern: —–and allow that man to denigrate someone who is not present to defend himself.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: The Minister will resume his seat.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: This is a disgrace and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle should be intervening.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: The Minister will—–

Deputy Dermot Ahern: The Leas-Cheann Comhairle should be intervening to ask him to withdraw those remarks about a good public official.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: The Minister will resume his seat or leave the House.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: No, I will not.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte:I did not denigrate anyone.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: The Deputy also will—–

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: However, the Minister did not answer the question.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Deputy Rabbitte will resume his seat.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: He did not answer it.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Deputy Rabbitte will resume his seat.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: This was a mean-minded act in which the Minister colluded. Moreover, the Minister did not answer any of the questions he was asked.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: I did.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: This is the final—–

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: His response was to filibuster and to wrap the Secretary General around him.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: If there is continued disorder, I will suspend the House. This is the final session before Christmas and I would have hoped for a civil atmosphere in the House. I deeply regret the statement by the Minister that he would refuse to obey the Chair. All Deputies, on whatever side of the House, will obey the Chair. We will continue in an orderly fashion and if there is any further disorder, I will suspend the House forthwith. Question No. 3 is called.

Prison Accommodation.

3. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the prisoner capacity of each prison; the number of prisoners held in each prison; his views on overcrowding in prisons; and the action he will take in the immediate, medium and long term to address the matter of prison overcrowding. [47435/08]

Deputy Dermot Ahern: It is a disgrace that the Deputy—–

Deputy Charles Flanagan: The Minister is not answering the question.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: The Minister will either obey the Chair or I will suspend the House.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: I think what happened here today is a disgrace. The information requested by the Deputy—–

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: The Minister is the one who is a disgrace.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: It is a disgrace that Deputy Rabbitte would denigrate a good public servant.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: He is the one who is a disgrace, trying to wrap the Secretary General around himself.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Very well.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte is at it again.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: Do not disgrace me.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte is a disgrace.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: The Minister, Deputy Ahern, is a petty little man.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: I am not.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Very well.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: The Minister, Deputy Ahern, is a petty little man.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte is a man—–

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: I will not—–

Deputy Dermot Ahern: —–who tried to denigrate a good public servant who is not able to defend himself in this House.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: —–tolerate further disorder.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: Why did the Minister not answer? He would not answer the question.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte cannot denigrate. He is not here to defend himself.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte: He tries to give it a go about a decent public servant and he comes in here wrapping the Secretary General around himself.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte is a disgrace.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: The House is adjourned for ten minutes.

Sitting suspended at 3.50 p.m. and resumed at 4 p.m.

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Therese Murphy, a member of the board of the Equality Authority has written to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and tendered her resignation.

More on this later.

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Public Servants who are in non-marital relationships and wish to pass their pensions to partners have long complained about futile contributions that they have made to widows and orphans funds only not be able to transfer them to their partners when they die.

Former Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy annouced a review of the arrangements in 2004. It was part of a examination of the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission on Public Service Pensions which had reported in 2001.  The review and proposals have been ready for some time now – they included raising pension contributions for those who wished to join the scheme (even though they were paying it already and unable to claim!!!)

Today’s Sunday Tribune reports that Finance Minister Brian Lenihan is going to shelve plans to introduce a scheme of non-spousal pension rights. No real suprise there then ‘in the current climate’  but maybe the Minister can answer how the Civil Service proposes to maintain it’s committment to it’s Circular published in 2002 on ‘Diversity in the Civil Service – A Policy on Equality of Opportunity’ .

 

Equality of Opportunity

4.         Equality of opportunity in the Civil Service means that:

-  all Civil Servants can be confident that their rights under the Employment Equality Act are guaranteed and that no-one will receive less favourable treatment than someone else because of their gender, marital or family status, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller community;

-  throughout their working lives, Civil Servants can be assured of equality of participation in their Department[1], regardless of gender, marital or family status, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller community; 

-  all Civil Servants have a responsibility to create a working environment in which differences are respected and in which all people – staff, clients and customers – are valued as individuals; 

-  as an employer, the Civil Service will strive to achieve real equality of opportunity by continuously monitoring its employment practices to ensure that they do not perpetuate existing inequalities.

 

Or maybe gay and unmarried civil servants can finally be allowed to opt out of paying pension contributions etc on pensions that they will never be able to claim?

Or maybe the Minister could favour gay and unmarried civil servants for being cheap to hire as they don’t become pension liabilities? 

I can see those posters now- ‘Dorothy the teacher did her duty for the nation in coming out and not getting married – no widower’s pension needed to be paid. Thoughtful and committed to the last in saving the nations pennies’  We need more people like Dorothy! Come join us’.

(Sunday Sarcasm factor is currently rated at high)

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