It’s not a surprise given the butchering of the Equality and Human Rights infrastructure in Ireland this year. News of Niall’s resignation will be received with great sadness by many given the leadership he has given in bringing not only support for equality legislation but also policy development and research and good practice in the field.

The good stuff happened despite much opposition from both governments and their supporters and the private sector and those who would rather we didn’t talk about the reality that is discrimination and often hatred based on gender, race, age, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, family status, membership of the Travelling Community.

Weakening of legislation, impending decentralisation, proposed mergers, and finally 43% of a budget cut when other agencies only had cuts of 5-10% at most – the writing was on the wall all year and it seems most people didn’t give a shit.

And Ciaran Cuffe and his colleagues will stand by and wring their hands as many in FF are no doubt delighted, and some in Fine Gael snigger as a so called ‘quango’ gets flittered. The companies, religious bodies and agencies who don’t want to abide by the law will find it easier to do so as a weakened authority will find itself unable to support those who feel they have been discriminated against.

And there is no doubt that in recessionary times the whiter, ablebodied, not pregnant, straighter, settled amongst us are going to be the chosen ones when the choosing gets done.

More later no doubt…