Announcing this the Ministers said that over the past few months they had made clear their opposition to racism and prejudice.
“The proposed legislation will ensure strengthened practical protections for individuals as we take forward actions to tackle intolerance,” said First Minister, Rt Hon Dr Ian Paisley, MP, MLA.
In this case, Ministers are fully implementing the European Commission’s ‘Race Directive’ where the Commission has set a deadline of week beginning 14 January 2008 for these amendments to be in place across the United Kingdom. The European Commission had taken the view that the implementing measures taken under direct rule had not implemented the Directive fully.
Dr Paisley went on to explain that: “This amendment will ensure that our law is fully compatible with the European Directive.”
The Ministers confirmed that it is not intended that the regulations will go out for public consultation.
Mr Paisley added: “To enable us to meet the very tight deadline for implementation it was not possible to hold a public consultation on these regulations. Althought consultation is not legally required we do adopt it as best practice within the department. We do not see many occasions when this would happen; this is an exceptional set of circumstances. I am confident however that these regulations will be widely welcomed.”
Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA said: “It is intended that the amendment will be forwarded to the Assembly where it will subject to the negative resolution procedure. It is proposed that the amendment will come into operation during week beginning 14 January 2008 and we are confident that it will help reinforce the fight against racism and prejudice.”
Notes to Editors:
·The Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 makes provisions with respect to discrimination on racial grounds. The Order was amended by the Race Relations Order (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 to give effect to the European Union Race Directive1.
·In response to the European Commission’s Reasoned Opinion 2005/23632 Ministers now propose an amendment that will be in operation by week beginning 14 January 2008. The amendment will ensure: the definition of indirect discrimination in the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 fully reflects that defined in Article 2(2)(b) of the Race Directive and the notion of ‘instructions to discriminate’ contained in the Order is also defined fully and clearly.
1 Council Directive 2000/43/EC (of 29 June 2000) implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin.
2That the United Kingdom (as a whole) has incorrectly; transposed the definition of indirect discrimination in Article 2(2)(b) of the Race Directive and has not defined the notion of ‘instructions to discriminate’ sufficiently clearly. 2 That the United Kingdom (as a whole) has incorrectly; transposed the definition of indirect discrimination in Article 2(2)(b) of the Race Directive and has not defined the notion of ‘instructions to discriminate’ sufficiently clearly.
