First Equality Authority Board Member Resigns

Published: Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Ms Thérèse Murphy is the first Equality Authority Board member to resign following the resignation of its Chief Executive last week.

In a letter to Dermot Ahern T.D., Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Ms. Murphy stated that "needless drastic measures imposed on staff resources" in addition to the budget cuts, was the primary reason for her decision.

Ms Murphy is Deputy-Chairperson of the National Women's Council of Ireland. She is also vice president of the European Women's Lobby.

She stated that these staff measures "were not only unfair in proportion to other Government agencies, but will impact on the organisation so profoundly that it will be severely hampered in fulfilling its mandate."

While she understood the financial difficulties being experienced by Government, she stated that "this should be balanced by the truth that in times of economic constraint those on the margins of society suffer most." She said that people could not and must not be forced to wait for an improvement in government finances to access their rights and to have their voices heard.