Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Hanafin was doorstepped today by Newstalk (link to print version of their report is no longer available) about the Free Travel Pass issue following the publication of that article in the Irish Independent.

As in the responses to other outlets she confirmed that the social welfare code was currently under review and indicated that there may be changes to the issues concerning the free travel pass. I am aware that she has been contacted by letter and email by several individuals and I would be interested in hearing about the replies.

I am not sure if this review is a general equality review or one specific to those in same sex relationships. If it is the former surely the Department would have realised that the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2004 was not in line with government policy on equality proofing given that Equality legislation was 4 years old at that stage.

Update: Today’s Irish Times now also reports on the review and confirms that it is a full equality review that is taking place.

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties are quoted as saying that Iarnród Éireann are “profiteering from a licence to discriminate issued by the Department of Social and Family Affairs�. (See press release from the ICCL here).

Ouch, that’s what you get when the Manager for Revenue Protection signs a confidential notice I suppose!

So anyone got other signs they’d like Michael to take a picture of, pass around and get us all angry about??