A New Year, A New Steering Group

ERA welcomes those who were nominated to go forward to the steering group at our January AGM. They are:

Joanna McMinn (Chair)
Frances Byrne (OPEN)
Louise Hannon (Dublin LGBTQ Pride)
Anne Lyne  (Hayes Solicitors)
Catherine Lynch (European Network Against Racism,  Ireland)
Peter Moore (Centre for Independent Living)
Orlagh O'Farrell  (independent consultant)
Patricia Prendiville  (independent consultant)
Ailbhe Smyth (National Lesbian and Gay Federation)
Anne Speed (SIPTU)
Anna Visser (European Anti- Poverty Network Ireland)
Yvonne Woods (Free Legal Advice Centres)

We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the out-going steering group for all their work on the campaign since its inception in August 2008.

Farewell to Sarah

ERA would like to say a huge thank you to Sarah Lahert who has worked as our intern since Sept 2009. Her skills especially in the design and online communications areas will be greatly missed and we wish her all the best.

Planning day with members

ERA members attended a planning day in January to discuss the proposed work plan for 2010 and prioritise actions. It was agreed that the key priority for ERA in 2010 is the development of a Charter on Equality and Human Rights. The aim of the Charter is to outline a comprehensive standard for the legislative, policy and institutional changes required for an independent and effective equality and human rights infrastructure in Ireland. To support the development of the Charter we will engage in a broad consultation process with stakeholders. Our advocacy programme for 2010 will also be  primarily focused on seeking a wide endorsement of the Charter by civil society stakeholders.

ERA complaint to the EU Commission

ERA has been informed by the EU Commission that they will not be launching infringement proceedings on foot of our complaint submitted in September 2009. The Commission in its response expressed much regret at the cuts to the Equality Authority and noted that the Equality Authority had been held "in the greatest regard" by the Commission. The Commissions reason for not launching proceedings is based on the Directives being "minimum standard" Directives which do not stipulate a particular level of funding for equality bodies in member states.

This response from the Commission exposes a serious weakness in the current equality Directives which should be addressed by way of an amendment to the forthcoming draft equal treatment directive on goods and services currently before the Council of Ministers. The "minimum standards" nature of current Directives offers no deterrent where member states neuter their specialised equality bodies by culling their resources. Indeed this precedent which the Irish government set in Autumn 2008 has since been echoed across the member states with equality bodies in France, Lithuania, Romania and Bulgaria all facing serious cuts to their resources.

Meanwhile, the ERA petition to the European Parliament remains under consideration and has been deemed admissible by the Petitions Committee. We are liaising with opposition MEPs on the petition and will use this opportunity to continue to raise our concerns at EU level. ERA will also seek to be involved in a European Commission study this year, into the level of compliance of national legislation and practice with the Directives in the field of Equality Bodies, including on competences, independence, resources, and visibility, to further highlight its concerns.

TDs Briefings

ERA has begun a series of meetings with key Government and opposition spokespersons to brief them in regard to the campaign and our plans to develop a comprehensive Charter on equality and human rights. We will be seeking cross party endorsement of the Charter in the run up to the next general election.