5th December, 2002
Dr. Henry: I second the amendment. It would be worthwhile including it because the current practice is to send people abroad for some part of their training and it would be as well to state it in the Bill.
Dr. Henry: I second the motion. As the Minister knows, there are already disputes between guest houses as to whether they are or are not on lists, because it costs money to be on them. It would be wiser to have the approval at the beginning of the list of accommodation.
Dr. Henry: I second the amendment. I spoke earlier about the unsatisfactory provisions for the registration of guesthouses. If they are all registered on one list or another, what is the point of making improvements to ensure they can be placed on a list?
Dr. Henry: I second the amendment. It seems eminently sensible that there should be universal standards in terms of the requirements of accommodation facilities.
Dr. Henry: I move amendment No. 14:
In page 17, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following:
"(3) No money may be paid by the Authority either directly or indirectly to any persons or organisations in breach of the Equal Status Act, 2000.".
Equality issues have been dear to my heart for a very long time. In 1972 when the Minister was probably kicking a football around a school yard, I was standing outside the school gates getting a petition going to try to get the then Government to introduce the EECC legislation on equal pay which it was trying to delay at the time. The Leader of the House may have been outside another school gate trying to get a similar petition going.
It was a real breakthrough for women and others to have equal pay for work of equal value. I have followed equality legislation and seen the good legislation the Minister has introduced during the years. I was dismayed at the case we discussed on Committee Stage regarding Portmarnock Golf Club and the money from Bord Fáilte to promote the Irish Open golf championship. However, I will not go into that issue. People have said to me this just relates to a few women who are very rich anyway. If rich women have trouble with something, one can be absolutely sure poor women will have far more trouble. The next episode may not be, as the Minister suggested, about someone who is in a position to take a court case, which is the reason I would like it to be made absolutely plain in the legislation that we want to see the authority applying its money only to persons or associations which are in accordance with equality legislation.
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