Written Answers. - Equality Legislation.
Question:
197
Dr. Upton
asked the
Minister for Finance
if he has satisfied himself that the rights awarded under the Employment Equality Act, in particular the references to equivalence, are applied for all seeking employment or promotion under the terms of the Civil Service Commissioners Act, 1956; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25183/00]
The Employment Equality Act, 1998, applies to all employers, including the Civil Service. I assure the Deputy that the terms of the Act apply to all persons seeking employment and promotion in the civil service.
To ensure that all Departments and offices are aware of their responsibilities under the Act, the officials in my Department, in partnership with the Civil Service unions, are in the process of drafting a new equal opportunity policy for the Civil Service which will reflect the provisions of the Employment Equality Act, 1998. The new Act extends the prohibition on discrimination in employment to nine grounds: gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, disability, race and membership of the traveller community. Work on drafting the new policy is at an advanced stage and discussions with the staff unions should commence shortly.
Detailed discussions with the staff unions on a new gender equality policy are currently under way. The new gender equality policy sets out a new strategic approach to equality of opportunity and is supported by two documents which have been developed in order to assist Departments in implementing the new policy. These documents set out (i) guidelines on best practice in setting goals and an effective programme of affirmative action in the main human resources management policy areas of recruitment, placement and mobility, training and staff development, promotion, work and family issues and language and (ii) an outline of the structure of responsibility, accountability and monitoring for the delivery of gender equality within the civil service.
The document, A Positive Working Environment, sets out the anti-harassment, sexual harassment and bullying policy for the Civil Service. The policy has been drawn up in consultation with the Civil Service staff unions and reflects those discussions, as well as developments in relation to harassment and sexual harassment arising from the Employment Equality Act, 1998. The policy has been issued to personnel branches in all Departments and offices and to all the civil service staff unions. A short leaflet summarising the policy has been issued to all civil servants. The responsibility for raising awareness and the detailed implementation of the policy lies with each individual Department or office. I understand that a number of Departments are in the process of developing awareness raising programmes.
