Equality Bill to be published this year

IRELAND was the only EU state which had not ratified a 1955 UN, convention on race discrimination and would not be able to do so until the Equal Status Bill was made law, the Minister for Equality and Law Reform, Mr Taylor, said yesterday.

Mr Taylor said the UN convention had already been ratified by 146 countries. He intended to', publish the Equal Status Bill before the end of the year.

Mr Taylor was speaking at the launch of Disability Awareness Day, at Cork Regional Technical College. The Equal Status Bill will deal with discrimination in non-employment areas. People with disabilities will be covered.

"There has been considerable confusion in certain circles about this legislation and particularly about the difficulties it may present to hoteliers, publicans and other business people in relation to their right to manage their businesses," Mr Taylor said.

"There has been concern expressed that this Bill will confer rights on anti-social elements or on people who are aggressive or a threat to safety. I don't believe those fears relate to people with disabilities but in any event they are totally unfounded.

The work of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities was nearing completion.