Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 July 2022
590. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the actions that her Department and bodies under the aegis of her Department are taking to increase recruitment of members of the LGBTQIA+ communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38415/22]
View answerOpen recruitment for my Department is conducted through the Public Appointments Service (PAS) who have their own independent Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy 2021-2023. PAS has a central role to play in recruiting diverse talent to take up public service employment opportunities.
My Department recognises the importance of achieving a workforce that is responsive, accessible, resilient and reflective of the communities that it serves. This is in line with the Government’s own Civil Service Renewal Programme 2030, which has among its aims the creation of a workplace and organisation of the future by fostering workforce equality, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing. The Civil Service works to attract, engage and nurture a diverse and inclusive workforce in order to best serve and reflect Irish society and to empower staff to continue thriving in an environment that is representative of society and respects and promotes human rights. My Department is also in the process of finalising a new 'People Strategy' for the period to 2025, and I expect that it will have a clear focus on equality, diversity and inclusion.
There are four agencies under my Department's remit, Pobal, Water Safety Ireland, the Charities Regulatory Authority and the Western Development Commission. They are independent legal entities governed by a board of directors and the Department has no role in their staffing or recruitment. functions.
