'Greater equality in all of our interest'- by Vincent Browne, June 9th 2010
The economic and financial crisis offers an opportunity to reshape this society, making it more democratic, fair and equal, and giving it a robust sense of solidarity. We are not talking about revolution here, nor communism, but changes which, intuitively, we all (or most of us) would welcome.
Former Equality Authority chief praised as a 'pioneer'- May 14th 2010
Niall Crowley, former chief executive of the Equality Authority, was hailed as "a pioneer" by Eamon Gilmore last night. The Labour leader was speaking at the launch of Mr Crowley's book, 'Empty Promises: Bringing the Equality Authority to Heel' in Waterstones bookshop on Dawson Street in Dublin.
'Movement urging real equality has to start now' by Vincent Browne ,April 7th 2010
We need a new political movement that will frame a different agenda – an equality-of-outcomes agenda; this “equality of opportunity” stuff is just more spinning. This agenda has got to involve, among much else, a commitment to start lessening the scale of inequality
Ireland Leads Cuts On Equality Bodies, by Niall Crowley, Village Magazine , Dec '09
Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania and others are lacerating their equality budgets too
'First ever EU-wide survey of minorities: Mapping Discrimination across Europe' Dec 9th 2009
The survey shows beyond any doubt that discrimination is a major problem in the every day lives of many people from minorities across the EU, including in Ireland where 54% of Sub-Saharan Africans said they had experienced discrimination in the past twelve months.
Senator David Norris raises concerns over cuts to equality - Nov 26th 2009
A group called Equal Rights Alliance was established to fight for the retention of some support for the vulnerable. It recently held a conference and invited a distinguished legal person, Mr. Colm Ó Cinneide, a member of the European Committee of Social Rights, to address it. In his lecture he indicated there was a perception that Ireland which had been seen as a leading country when it came to social rights had fallen from grace. It is now being used as an example by countries such as Pakistan which recently cited our blasphemy law
EQUALITY AND THE LISBON TREATY by Niall Crowley, Village Magazine September '09
The Lisbon Treaty contains valuable provisions on equality. The Treaty sustains the role of the European Union as a stimulus for greater equality within its Member States. It is clear that this commitment to equality is easier to sustain at this international level than it is at the level of individual Member States such as Ireland.
Cuts a ''scandal'' says UN expert
UN Human Rights Committee member Professor Michael O'Flaherty has decried what he described as the ''scandal'' of the government having made deep cuts to the budgets of the Irish Human Rights Committee and the Equality Authority