Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2022
275. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the way that her Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under her remit meet their obligations for reasonable accommodation under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015. [24316/22]
View answerMy Department is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all staff and strives to create a culture where employees feel comfortable in sharing their disability. This ensures any reasonable accommodations can be met, if required.
All employees are provided with the opportunity to request any reasonable accommodations and/or voluntarily share their disability status to assist them with their work during the recruitment process, upon joining the Department and throughout any stage of their employment.
The Department has a dedicated team of people comprising of HR, Office Services, Health and Safety, ICT, Access Officer, and the Disability Liaison Officer to deal with reasonable accommodation requests. My Department also liaises closely with the Chief Medical Officer’s Office and the Civil Service Employee Assistance Service regarding staff who may require reasonable accommodations on return from long term sick leave.
It should be noted that the declaration of a disability is a voluntary disclosure. If an employee requires an accommodation in order to conduct their work, this will be made available to them upon request.
My Department is obliged to report every year to the National Disability Authority (NDA) on the number of persons with disabilities employed at 31st December. This information is published on the website of the NDA - nda.ie.
In respect of the State Agencies under the Department’s remit, the below table outlines how each are meeting their obligations for reasonable accommodation under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015.
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State Bodies |
Outline how obligations for reasonable accommodation under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 are met |
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Arts Council |
The Arts Council have a recently published Equality, Human Rights and Diversity Policy that guides our actions in this area and our internal policies adhere to the Employment Equality Acts. |
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Chester Beatty |
The Chester Beatty building is fully accessible at all levels; and no known disabilities have been declared amongst staff. An accessibility audit is planned for 2022. |
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Crawford Art Gallery |
CAG can confirm that all obligations as per Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 are adhered to, we ensure to make reasonable accommodation as part of our everyday employment policy, recruitment and practice. |
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Fáilte Ireland |
Fáilte Ireland’s obligations under the Employment Equality Acts are met by education and awareness of staff and the implementation of policies such as Equal Status, Equal Opportunities, Dignity in the Workplace and Health & Safety policies. In addition to this, proactive health and well-being initiatives and supports are in place with a dedicated resource available to confidentially discuss reasonable accommodations required which are responded to as part of selection and on-boarding and over the life cycle of an employee. |
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Foras na Gaeilge |
Foras na Gaeilge provides equal opportunities for all those applying for work and as a public service body (a North-South Implementation Body established under the 1999 British-Irish Agreement Act) adheres to all statutory provisions. Appropriate training is available to all employees. Flexible working times are available in certain cases and working from home. The Dublin Headquarters is a recently (2017) refurbished office building in which accessibility was a requirement. |
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Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) |
All new employees to IMMA undergo a space, desk and needs assessment as part of their induction process and steps are taken to accommodate any specific requirements.Any employees returning to work from illness complete a return-to-work form that takes into account any changes that should be accommodated.IMMA uses the services of an Occupational Health professional to assess certain requests for changes that need to be addressed. Any staff member may request changes to work practices to accommodate particular needs and IMMA will take steps to meet those requests.IMMA has a Health & Safety Committee that oversees and monitors a safe working environment for all staff. |
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National Concert Hall |
In situations where an employee may have a disability, or become disabled, the company will manage the case in a fair and sympathetic way. The National Concert Hall does not discriminate against those with disabilities and will take all reasonable steps to make alterations to work, premises, equipment or pattern of work to assist the employee in carrying out normal duties. |
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National Gallery of Ireland |
The National Gallery of Ireland is an equal opportunities employer. This is stated on every job advertisement and reasonable accommodation is actively offered to applicants called for interview. At 8.5%, we currently exceed both current prescribed statutory targets regarding the number of individuals employed by the Gallery with a declared disability (3%) and the proposed revised target (6%) planned by 2024 under the Comprehensive Strategy for People with Disabilities (2015 – 2024). We also have in place the following relevant policies and procedures: - Recruitment Procedure - Employee Handbook - Accessibility Statement - Accessibility Action Plan - Universal Design & Accessibility Policy Health & Safety Risk Assessments for employees are also carried out. In addition, the Gallery has a dedicated Universal Design & Accessibility Working Group and Access Officers are in situ. We also hold ASIAM accreditation and membership of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme. |
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National Library of Ireland |
The NLI remains fully compliant with all of the provisions of the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015. Reasonable accommodation is a central aspect of this and is utilised across the NLI for all staff and prospective staff as required. The NLI reasonable accommodation principles include ensuring staff who require RA have: - Equal opportunities when applying for work - be treated the same as co-workers - have equal opportunities for promotion - undertake training. RA requirements are further supplemented by engagement with external groups through our diversity and inclusion committee and provision of staff training. Finally, it should be noted that the NLI in its most recent Part 5 report submitted to the Department in accordance with the Disability Act 2005 was supporting 12% of our workforce who have a disability as defined by this Act through the means of RA. |
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National Museum of Ireland |
NMI takes a number of responsible measures to promote and support the employment of persons with disabilities and provide reasonable accommodations where needed. This included Training, Recruitment, Supporting employees with disabilities in the workplace and endeavouring to incorporate principles of Universal Design.Special accommodations have been put in place, where necessary, to enable a staff member with a disability to carry out the full range of duties pertaining to established roles. This includes: modifications to equipment, alterations to working arrangements, flexible working patterns, job restructuring, retraining, relocation of workspaces and redeployment to other tasks or units commensurate with their capabilities. NMI strives to ensure that all staff have the opportunity to attend and access training in an environment that is conductive to their learning needs and abilities.Employees are provided with details of who to contact in order to access further supports/guidance.The NMI’s website and intranet is WCAG AA approved, complying with all priority 1 and 2 guidelines of the W3 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. It includes an Accessibility Option on the home screen and includes many features to help users with disabilities navigate easily.NMI also designates a sufficient number of disability-accessible parking spaces at convenient locations adjacent to places of work. |
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Screen Ireland |
Screen Ireland fulfils its obligations by providing premises that are disability friendly, offering flexible work hours, allowing staff to work from home andproviding other assistance as required. |
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Sport Ireland |
Sport Ireland will make any reasonable modifications which would allow an employee with a disability to take up a position in the organisation to enjoy equal employment opportunities. This could include adaptation of the workplace and workplace equipment to changing working time, hours of work, restricting of tasks and retraining. |
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Tha Boord o Ulster Scotch |
Flexible working requests, reduced working hours, change of working patterns, change of role. Additional equipment as and were required – ie second screens, chairs, wrist supports for desks etc. |
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Tourism Ireland |
Tourism Ireland has a robust Equal Opportunities Policy which ensures that we do not discriminate against anyone with a disability. Likewise, we work closely with the landlords in all of our offices (on the island of Ireland and overseas) to ensure that access to our offices facilitates people with disabilities. Where appropriate, we provide flexible working arrangements – adjusting hours of work or allowing people to work from home. We also provide training or IT equipment where it is required. |
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Údarás na Gaeltachta |
The Organisation recognises its legal obligations including those under the Equality Act 2004, Protection of Employees (Fixed Term Work) Act 2003, Protection of Employees (Part-time Work) Act 2001 and Employment Equality Act 1998.The Organisation is an Equal Opportunities Employer and does not discriminate on grounds of, gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, race, religion, age, disability, membership of the Traveller community in employment, promotion, practices, or procedures.The Organisation seeks to employ a workforce which reflects the diverse community at large because it values the individual contribution of people irrespective of gender, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, race, religious belief, family status or membership of the Traveller community.The Organisation undertakes to review periodically its selection criteria and procedures to maintain a system where individuals are selected, promoted, and treated solely based on their merits and abilities.If an existing employee becomes disabled, the Organisation will make every effort to retain him or her within the workforce whenever reasonable and practicable.Whenever reasonably practicable to do so the Organisation will install, in existing premises, facilities for people with disabilities. Whenever the business invests capital in new or refurbished premises every practicable effort will be made to provide for the needs of staff and client with disabilities. |
