Section 6 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by -

(a) the substitution in subsection (2) of the following paragraphs for paragraph (e):

"(e) the race, colour or sexual orientation of the employee,

(ee) the age of the employee,

(eee) the employee's membership of the travelling community,",

and

(b) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (7):

"(7) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section, in determining if a dismissal is an unfair dismissal, regard may be had, if the rights commissioner, the Tribunal or the Circuit Court, as the case may be, considers it appropriate to do so -

(a) to the reasonableness or otherwise of the conduct (whether by act or omission) of the employer in relation to the dismissal, and

(b) to the extent (if any) of the compliance or failure to comply by the employer, in relation to the employee, with the procedure referred to in section 14(1) of this Act or with the provisions of any code of practice referred to in paragraph (d) (inserted by the Unfair Dismissals (Amendment) Act, 1993) of section 7(2) of this Act.".