EU says Irish religious groups can continue discriminating in employment

The European Union has dropped a threat to bring legal proceedings against Ireland unless the country changed its policy of giving wide exemptions to religious bodies in employment discrimination regulations.

According to the exemption in Irish law, Church-run schools, hospitals and charities can choose not to employ people who contradict their ethos. So a Catholic school has the right not to employ an atheist teacher. The exemption was negotiated a number of years ago and upheld by the EU's council of ministers.

But then last February the EU Equal Opportunities Commissioner Vladimir Spidla issued a “reasoned opinion”, warning that the exemptions were too broad and in conflict with EU rules. He told the government to comply with the EU’s stricter equality directive or face a multimillion euro fine.

But now EU Commission President Manuel Barosso — a prominent Catholic — has said the case will be dropped. “There is no intention to bring Ireland to court on that ground. That’s not going to happen,” said Mr Barosso.

The Iona Institute, a Catholic pressure group, had described the commission's threat as a “huge blow to the concept of religious freedom”. Their definition of religious freedom seems to include the freedom to persecute and discriminate against other people.

The climbdown reflects intense pressure on the EU to avoid antagonising the Irish in advance of crucial referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
See also: If the bishop doesn’t like your face, you don’t get the job

09 May 2008