From: steff@inet.uni-c.dk
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 18:41:24 +0200

IRISH GOVERNMENT PUBLISHES EMPLOYMENT EQUALITY BILL
By GLEN, Ireland

At the beginning of July the Irish Government published the text
of its Employment Equality Bill.  The Bill will give protection
against discrimination in employment and vocational training on
the grounds of sexual orientation as well as sex, disability,
religion, race, ethnic origin or membership of the Travelling
community (Irish gypsies).  The Bill would also outlaw
harassment in the workplace.

The Bill is a great advance on the current Employment Equality
Act which only covers discrimination on the grounds of sex or
marital status.  However, the Bill includes exemptions for
religious, educational or medical institutions.   GLEN, together
with other lesbian and gay groups, has welcomed the extention of
protection in the Bill but expressed concern about the
exempotions.

Kieran Rose (Co-Chair GLEN) said: "We also have deep
reservations about an exemption to deal with sexual behaviour
which is imprecise and could be very damaging".

The Bill will be brought before the Dail (Irish Parliament) in
the Autumn.  

The Bill  costs seven Irish pound (IR7); enquiries to:
Government Publications Office,  Molesworth Street, Dublin 2,
Ireland.

(Published in Euroletter 43)