Mr Niall Crowley started his professional career in an occupation viewed as middle-class and male, as a civil engineer. Yet he is now the individual charged with ensuring that women, Travellers, members of religious and ethnic minorities and those suffering from disabilities are not discriminated against.
His move into this area began with a time in Mozambique when he worked as a civil engineer, funded by the Government through APSO.
This stimulated his interest in community work and when he came back to Ireland he took a diploma in community work in Maynooth. From there he went to work in Pavee Point, the centre of the Irish Travellers' Movement. He was also involved in the Community Platform, which brought together many anti-poverty and equality interests, and was involved in negotiations for Partnership 2000. From there it seemed a natural progression to move into the Equality Authority, and he was appointed its director earlier this year.
"My work on Traveller rights brought up the question of an intercultural society, what it would look like, and how we could build it. A lot of the concepts around Travellers were transferable to other groups," he said.
The Equality Authority will be involved in two main areas: equal rights in employment, as covered by the Employment Equality Act of 1998, and equal treatment in the provision of services. "Services" covers a wide area, including education and recreation, and the legislation governing this has yet to be finalised in the Equal Status Bill, which is expected to go through the Dail this year.
Both pieces of legislation will outlaw discrimination on nine grounds: gender, marital status, family status, age, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation and membership of the Traveller community.
The authority will also have two arms, the combating of discrimination through the provision of advice and professional help to those who feel they have suffered from it, and the promotion of equality.
"We can't predict what will happen with the first of these as it depends on what will come up, but we can plan for the second. The Strategic Management Initiative in the State sector has a lot to offer in the promotion of equality, with its focus on customer service. We will see if some of what we have learned there in terms of action plans and codes of practice can be transferred to the private sector."
He acknowledges that the forthcoming Equal Status Bill has been the object of fears, especially within the licensing trade, where there have been concerns about the implications of the protection of groups like Travellers and the disabled from discrimination. But he points out that there were fears around the Employment Equality Act when it first came in, which were found to be largely groundless.
"As it works out people will see there is not only a social need for this legislation but a business need as well. Part of our role will be to establish that case and show that this is something that can benefit us all."
Other groups will also come into focus. "Racism has emerged as a major issue over the past number of years. We're challenged to look at what's causing it and at practices which can address it and promote interculturalism. There's also the National Committee on Racism and Multiculturalism. We need to have a coherent working relationship with them, and other groups in this area."
Indeed, there are now many groups with responsibility for promoting equality. The new Disability Authority has a remit for the needs of people with disabilities. There is the above-mentioned National Committee on Racism and Multiculturalism and there will be a Human Rights Commission, part of the package in the Good Friday agreement. The Equality Authority will be working with and around all these.
"There is a need to avoid duplication and also to ensure there are no gaps. There will be a particular challenge to us to promote cohesion because of the integrated agenda we've been given."
The State is seen as something of a trail-blazer in this area, he said. "There is no equivalent legislation in Britain, though the Equality Commission has just been set up in the North, and we have a very positive relationship with them. I don't know of anywhere else in the EU with such an integrated agenda, though it does mirror a commitment in Article 13 of the Amsterdam Treaty. A directive will follow on from that.
"This legislation was initiated by Mervyn Taylor during the Fianna Fail-Labour coalition and has now gone through three coalitions, so it reflects a very strong political commitment. The Equality Authority has to be seen as the embodiment of the State's commitment to a more equal society."