A new equality guide has been published which aims to advance the understanding of Irish equality legislation and its effects in the workplace.

The Employment Equality Acts 1998 – 2015: A Guide For Trade Unions, published by Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), provides information on the applicable provisions of the law and the processes that must be followed by union officials in making claims under these acts for their members.

ICTU says the guide is a result of current demand by trade unions across all fields for “help in taking action under the equality legislation, so that trade union officials can continue to contribute ever more effectively to workplace equality across the nine grounds covered by the equality legislation.”

Speaking at the launch, Minister of State David Stanton praised ICTU’s efforts, adding that the new guide “will be important in the process of making equality in the workplace a reality for more workers.”

While Metro Éireann congratulates ICTU for this timely publication, we call on the Minister for Justice to ensure that adequate action is taken against equality violations. We note the recent publications and plans to implement the Integration, National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategies, as well as the National Disability Inclusion Strategy. However, we do not believe that very much would be achieved without public education.

In particular, we urge the Government to relaunch the National Action Plan Against Racism (NPAR), We believe this would help mainstream equality issues, just like the plan from 2005 to 2008 which “provided strategic direction to combating racism and to promoting a more inclusive, intercultural society in Ireland.”