Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Dec 2000

Vol. 528 No. 2

Written Answers. - Equal Status Act.

Seán Ryan

Question:

71 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he is taking steps to ensure that all his staff dealing with the public are being fully informed of the Equal Status Act, 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29707/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

My Department is committed to full compliance with the provisions of the Equal Status Act, 2000. The Act, which came into effect on 25 October 2000, prohibits discrimination, inter alia, in the provision of goods, services and facilities, on the grounds of gender, marital status, family status, race, age, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, membership of the traveller community.

The legislation has implications for quality customer service and my Department is responding accordingly.

One of the key components of the programme for the modernisation of the public service is the development of excellent customer service. In this regard principles of quality customer service were endorsed by Government in May 1997. These principles formed the basis of my Department's customer action plan which was published in November 1997.

The quality customer service principles have been revised to include three new principles including equality and diversity.

The revised principles were endorsed by Government in July this year. Officials from my Department were involved in the preparation of the revised principles. A copy of the revised principles has been circulated to all staff in my Department.

My Department's customer action plan is now being revised and the equality and diversity principle will form an important element of the revised plan which is due for publication at the end of March 2001. The provisions of the Equal Status Act, 2000, will be taken into account in that context.

In recent years, my Department has developed a comprehensive range of training and awareness raising programmes and initiatives to support its staff who deal with the public. The customer service training programme which includes modules on disability awareness and the importance of an anti-discriminatory approach. The content of the programme was informed by research into best practice in these areas and external specialist trainers were engaged to assist in the delivery of the programme. The programme has been delivered to approximately 1,500 staff in my Department's local offices and is currently being delivered to staff in our headquarter offices. The programme has been recognised as an example of good practice by the equality authority.

My Department is currently examining how to build on existing initiatives in order to further enhance the support that staff require to carry out their duties in an objective and sensitive way. This is being done in the context of the Equal Status Act and the new equality-diversity principle and in consultation with the Equality Authority and other interested bodies.

Question No. 72 taken with Question No. 30.

Question No. 73 taken with Question No. 46.