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06/02/2015
Conscious Clause Slammed
New legislation proposed by the DUP would "significantly weaken protection against discrimination in Northern Ireland for lesbian, gay and bisexual people when accessing goods, facilities and services or buying or renting premises," Dr. Michael Wardlow, Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission has said.
The comment was made in response to the Consultation on a Northern Ireland Freedom of Conscience Amendment Bill submitted by DUP MLA Paul Givan.
The Commission said it "does not support either of the proposed amendments to the Sexual Orientation Regulations as set out in the draft Bill."
If passed, the Bill would allow proprietors of businesses in Northern Ireland to refuse goods or services on the basis of deeply held religious beliefs.
"These exceptions are targeted solely on the rights protected by the sexual orientation Regulations and no equivalent provisions are proposed for other areas of equality law”, Dr. Wardlow said. "They are inconsistent with the approach adopted under other equality strands where there is also the potential for competing rights, and with the approach adopted by equality law in other parts of the United Kingdom.
"The Commission does not believe that faith-based adoption or fostering agencies should be exempted from the sexual orientation Regulations when providing goods, facilities and services or carrying out public functions on behalf of a public body."
(IT/CD)
The comment was made in response to the Consultation on a Northern Ireland Freedom of Conscience Amendment Bill submitted by DUP MLA Paul Givan.
The Commission said it "does not support either of the proposed amendments to the Sexual Orientation Regulations as set out in the draft Bill."
If passed, the Bill would allow proprietors of businesses in Northern Ireland to refuse goods or services on the basis of deeply held religious beliefs.
"These exceptions are targeted solely on the rights protected by the sexual orientation Regulations and no equivalent provisions are proposed for other areas of equality law”, Dr. Wardlow said. "They are inconsistent with the approach adopted under other equality strands where there is also the potential for competing rights, and with the approach adopted by equality law in other parts of the United Kingdom.
"The Commission does not believe that faith-based adoption or fostering agencies should be exempted from the sexual orientation Regulations when providing goods, facilities and services or carrying out public functions on behalf of a public body."
(IT/CD)
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