AN EXPERIENCED civil servant has been appointed as the new chief executive of the Equality Authority.
Renee Dempsey, who has been principal officer of the Department of Justice’s disability equality unit since July last year, takes up her new position next month.
The post became vacant following the resignation in December of Niall Crowley. Since then Richard Fallon has been the acting chief.
Mr Crowley resigned in protest at a cut in the authority’s budget of 43 per cent, and the refusal of Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern to halt its decentralisation to Roscrea, Co Tipperary.
In January he was followed by five other members of the authority’s board. Mr Crowley has continued in his criticism of the cuts, saying recently that gains made by groups experiencing inequality were “disappearing before our very eyes”. People working in the sector were afraid to criticise the cuts “but they’re also afraid to speak out and say that they are being threatened if they do criticise”.
Ms Dempsey is a member of the National Disability Authority.
In a statement yesterday the Equality Authority said Ms Dempsey had “a wide range of experience across several government departments, working both at home and abroad”.
Chairwoman of the Equality Authority Angela Kerins said: “The board is very pleased to approve the appointment of a CEO of such high calibre and with such energy and commitment. The board looks forward to working with the new CEO in implementing the recently published Strategic Plan 2009-2011.”
Acting chief of the authority Mr Fallon said, meanwhile, that there was a danger older people may come under pressure to retire early to enhance the job prospects of younger people in the current economic downturn.
Richard Fallon was speaking as the authority announced the start of the sixth annual Say No To Ageism amid budget cutbacks for the organisation.
“It is interesting how in the past few years older people were under pressure to come back into the workforce and now they may be under pressure to take early retirement.
“In such a shifting dynamic it is important to ensure fairness in employment decision making is kept.”
The anti-ageism week, which encourages people to “consider the affects of ageism in our society” runs until Friday.
