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Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Questions (378)

Patrick Costello

Question:

378. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the actions that his Department has taken to implement the relevant recommendations from the Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community report issued in November 2021. [14005/22]

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Written answers

The Department of Foreign Affairs is fully committed to promoting gender, equality, diversity and inclusion and creating a culture of dignity and respect in the workplace, as set out in our Statement of Strategy 2021-2023. 

Over recent years, my Department has taken a proactive and strategic approach to advancing equality and inclusion issues. As part of my Department’s Human Resources Strategy 2019-2022, a number of initiatives and policies have been advanced to improve gender, equality, diversity and inclusion. In 2019, a dedicated Lead Officer for Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion was appointed who co-ordinates work in this area across the Department. In October 2020 and November 2021 the Department launched two surveys to gather equality data and the views of staff on how we can make further progress in this area, particularly with regard to increasing the diversity of staff employed by the Department. Combined, the results of these surveys will be used to develop a Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, which will be finalised by the end of Q2 2022.

My Department’s Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action plan will include a commitment to increase our outreach to under-represented communities, including members of the Traveller Community and organisations representing the Traveller Community, as part of our outreach initiatives to create greater awareness of employment opportunities within the Department. 

As part of the Department’s Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training programme, staff will be provided with training on unconscious bias, cultural awareness, and an overview of equality legislation.

The Department of Foreign Affairs recognises that more work is required in this area and we are fully committed to making progress in the coming years. As such, we will fully support and engage with any initiatives that emerge out of the recommendations from the Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community report.

Question No. 379 answered with Question No. 368.
Question No. 380 answered with Question No. 364.
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