Lunn calls for equality at heart of government

Alliance’s Mr Lunn said the party believed a single equality act should be a priority for the new executive.

“The act,” he said, “would harmonise existing equality and anti-discrimination measures and update and strengthen equality provisions. It would also revise fair employment monitoring . . .”

Mr Lunn said inaction had seen Northern Ireland fall behind in protection of the LGBT community, while also failing on age discrimination legislation.

“While an updated racial equality strategy was finally published,” he added, “we need to see legislation strengthened . . . Alliance believes equality should be at the heart of the new programme for government, to show citizens from every community and background that they are valued and their rights will be protected.”