Consultation on a single equality Bill for Northern Ireland has been announced by the direct rule minister, Mr John Spellar.
The proposal for a single Bill dealing with all aspects of anti-discrimination measures was originally included in the 2001 Programme for Government, drawn up by the then First and Deputy First Minister before suspension of the Assembly.
Mr Spellar announced the consultation process before an invited audience at Stormont yesterday. He said Northern Ireland would eventually have "clear and concise anti-discrimination law and equality law in one legal instrument".
He insisted no decisions on the content of any future Bill will be taken in advance of the "comprehensive and inclusive consultation process that we are embarking on".
"It will be no easy task to reflect fairly those differing views in a single equality Bill," he said. "It will be our task to ensure a balance in the focus of the Bill by providing appropriate protection against discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity at the same time. It is important to strike an appropriate balance between rights and responsibilities for all those who will be affected by the Bill."
Speaking afterwards to The Irish Times, Mr Spellar said such a Bill would be unique to Northern Ireland - there being no equivalent elsewhere in the UK or the Republic.
Although consultation will run until November this year, Mr Spellar said: "No particular timetable is envisaged." Assessment of responses to the consultation will be carried out throughout 2005 with the possibility of a Bill being drawn up in the subsequent parliamentary term.
He added: "It is more important to get the right Bill than an early Bill." The SDLP greeted the consultation announcement but said the Bill would have been enacted by now had it not been for suspension of the Stormont institutions.
Ms Patricia Lewsley said: "This Bill was designed in all its essentials by the power-sharing Executive only to become yet another victim of the suspension of the Assembly."