{"id":10806,"date":"2025-07-17T16:14:33","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T16:14:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.atdireland.ie\/wp\/?p=10806"},"modified":"2025-07-17T16:20:55","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T16:20:55","slug":"disadvantaged-groups-remain-discriminated-against-without-changes-to-legislation-oireachtas-committee-hears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.atdireland.ie\/wp\/disadvantaged-groups-remain-discriminated-against-without-changes-to-legislation-oireachtas-committee-hears\/","title":{"rendered":"Disadvantaged Groups Remain Discriminated Against without Changes to Legislation, Oireachtas Committee Hears"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The Add the 10th Alliance Calls on Government to Add Socio Economic Status as a Ground to Equality Legislation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Thursday 17th July: The opportunity is now available to address the concern of rising discrimination against people based on their socio-economic status, according to the Add the 10th Alliance.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Speaking at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Equality today, Andrew Kelly, community activist with ATD Ireland and member of the Alliance, spoke on the impacts of unfair treatment he faced due to his socio-economic status. This discrimination comes with no protection in our legislation, despite it being one of the most common types of discrimination people experience in Irish society1.<\/p>

Mr. Kelly said:<\/p>

\u201cCan you imagine a father from a disadvantaged area goes for multiple jobs interviews, he has all the qualifications, but he doesn’t get the job because he is from this certain area, (the accent, the postcode) can you imagine the mental torture that he is going through?\u201d<\/p>

Ms. Gorman, also a member of the Alliance, urged the Committee to add socio-economic status as a ground in this legislation at this point. Eleven EU countries have added measures into their laws and policies related to socio-economic status, and Ireland risks falling further behind without taking this step. Legislation is key to begin to promote equality and dignity for the people impacted. This discrimination takes place across several areas in society, from accessing employment, to interactions with health services and with An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na.<\/p>

She said:<\/p>

\u201cWe should be proud of having robust protections in our society that aim to leave no one behind. Now is the opportunity to realise this aim and add disadvantaged socio-economic status into our legislation.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Additional Info: \u00b7 CSO (2025) Equality and Discrimination 2024 shows that 1 in 5 adults have experienced discrimination; In this group, 17% was based on socio-economic background, rising to 27% while looking for work. It is the most common ground for discrimination reported in health services (20%) and with An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na (30%). \u00b7 ATD Ireland\u2019s Report shows the background of SES Discrimination and its impact in Ireland.<\/p>

\u00b7 The Add the 10th Alliance is formed of civil society organisations whose members are affected by discrimination based on socio-economic status.<\/p>

\u00b7 Member of the Alliance are:<\/p>

o All Together in Dignity Ireland<\/p>

o Association of Higher Education and Disability<\/p>

o Community Action Network<\/p>

o Community Law and Mediation<\/p>

o Free Legal Advice Centres<\/p>

o European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland<\/p>

o Independent Living Movement Ireland<\/p>

o Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed<\/p>

o Outhouse<\/p>

o Simon Communities of Ireland<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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__________________________<\/p>

1 CSO (2025) Equality and Discrimination 2024<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Press release by INOU<\/a> (Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Click here<\/a><\/strong> or see below to see the contribution of Andrew ATD Ireland Community Activist in full.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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