12th December, 2002
Dr. Henry: I thank the Minister for his reply. I do not for one instant believe he approves of anything in the way of discrimination. Why in heaven's name would he have brought the Equal Status Act through the House and dealt with it with such care and consideration if he did not support it?
I thank Senators for their support for this amendment. It is sad to think that Senator O'Rourke, Senator White and I have been the objects of discrimination within our lifetimes. I refer here to the fact that women were dismissed when they married - perhaps people would have preferred couples to live as partners - and the fact that we did not receive equal pay for equal work. Matters were quite straightforward in terms of obtaining equal pay for, as in my case, doctors and teachers because they could be compared. However, I recall the difficulties we experienced in obtaining equal pay for hospital cleaners whose conditions had to be compared to those of porters. This type of discriminatory behaviour continues.
I do not think Bord Fáilte or Nissan realised what a mess they were getting into and the resultant publicity has not been good for either company. My concern is with the child of Bord Fáilte, the National Tourism Development Authority, rather than Portmarnock Golf Club, which has to fend for itself and do whatever it believes is right and just. It was more in the spirit of what Senator Mansergh said about the fact that Departments and semi-State bodies can only deal with firms that are tax compliant. We should try to insist that semi-State bodies should only deal with organisations and people who operate within the spirit of the law.
It should be remembered that women pay a large amount of tax. I welcomed the introduction of tax individualisation by the Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, because I had been paying tax at the top rate for all my married life. Women pay a great deal of tax and will support this new authority financially. I would have liked to have thought that we could have included a clause stating that the authority would be obliged to take into account the Equal Status Act.
I accept the points the Minister made and his commitment to re-examine the position. The issue has had a good airing and I thank Senators and the Minister for what they said.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach: Is the amendment being pressed?
Dr. Henry: I would never dream of having Senators on the Government side vote against their conscience, which I imagine some of them might have to do. I withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Dr. Henry: I second the amendment. It is important that we do this given that the report should be seen internationally. It is not just for local consumption.
Dr. Henry: I second the amendment. The section is very politically correct in referring to "the chief executive officer in the performance of his or her duties", which I am very glad to see. However, we will not get value for money from a CEO whose hands are so tied that when speaking before the Committee on Public Accounts, he or she is not even in a position to expound on the merits of the policy the Minister is bringing forward.
Dr. Henry: I thank the Minister for the time and thought he invested in the amendment I tabled and for his promise to try to reflect its spirit in the legislation. I hope he will consider the point made by Senator White regarding the composition of the board and ensure each gender has at least 40% representation.
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