There has been a dramatic increase in the number of cases being brought under the Employment Equality Act and the Equal Status Act, it was revealed today.
The 2001 Annual Report of the Equality Authority reveals an 800 per cent increase in the Authority’s caseload, from 119 cases at the end of 2000 to 1,066 at the end of last year.
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Over 400 files deal with employment discrimination with gender discrimination the largest issue, at 41 per cent of these cases.
A large proportion of the cases dealing with gender discrimination were pregnancy-related, leading the report to conclude that "women are still regularly and almost routinely discriminated against and even dismissed on account of being pregnant."
Twelve per cent of the caseload referred to incidents of sexual harassment and harassment on the grounds of race, sexual orientation and disability in particular. Sixteen per cent of the dismissal cases related to race followed by disability, age and sexual orientation.
The refusal to serve by publicans, hotels and restaurants constituted an unprecedented number of claims, the report revealed. Claims have been made by Travellers, black people, older people, young people, parents with children, gay people, people with disabilities and women. The report finds that the number of claims made by members of the Travelling community is "particularly disturbing".
"The number and variety of claims in this area must be indicative of persistent, sustained and endemic discrimination and a profound reluctance to make this arena of social interaction more inclusive," the report finds. "Other issues of discrimination have emerged in relation to claims of discrimination in denial of access to schools on grounds of disability, race and membership of the Traveller community."
The report was launched today by the Minister for Justice, Mr Michael McDowell, who praised the "considerable progress that has been made in relation to the promotion of equality in Irish society through legislative changes and other initiatives."
"However, my colleagues in Government and I recognise the need to build on this progress and are committed in our agreed Programme for Government to supporting equality initiatives and enhancing the existing statutory foundation for equality," he said.
Chair of the Equality Authority Ms Kate Hayes pointed to the huge demand on services last year.
"Widespread discrimination is evident and requires persistent initiative both legally to enforce the legislation and developmentally to harness what is a widespread interest in preventing the emergence of such discrimination," she said.