Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 July 2023
99. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the current status of Actions 2.3 and 3.1 of the National LGBTI Inclusion Strategy (for which his Department is responsible), specifically regarding the inclusion of diversity and inclusion perspectives in Civil Service training courses since the start of this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34696/23]
View answerEnsuring all OneLearning courses reflect Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in their content, is a guiding principle in the development of all OneLearning courses. OneLearning provides training for Civil Servants across all grades, organisations and locations. Contracts were signed in 2021 for a range of new Civil Service-wide training courses, including four specifically related to EDI (for general staff, people managers and senior leaders).
Leadership, Customer Service and People Management courses have Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) principles embedded throughout. In 2022 and 2023, 25 new courses have been developed by OneLearning in these areas and are available for Civil Servants to enrol in with another Customer Service course due to be launched in the coming weeks.
In addition, the OneLearning Learning Management System hosts the IHREC eLearning module ‘Equality and Human Rights in the Public Service'. The eLearning module provides those who complete it with an understanding of equality, human rights and the Public Sector Duty, and how to put the learning into practice in their day-to-day work.
OneLearning and the Civil Service Employee Assistance Service (CSEAS) host at least one Health and Wellbeing webinar a month covering a range of topics, including EDI from a personal perspective e.g. three webinars for Civil Servants, were hosted throughout June 2023, to celebrate Pride month:
• Pride Month – Letters and Stripes, delivered by Pride at Work. A presentation on the evolving LGBTQI+ terminology, with an emphasis on understanding pronouns, the differences between sexual orientation, gender identity and biological sex.
• Pride Month – The Journey of Pride, delivered by Pride at Work . On the history of Pride and LGBTQI+ activism and how that activism has shaped and influenced generations of LGBTQI+ people.
• Pride Month - Growing up in Ireland as a transgender woman, delivered by Jenny Behan. A personal account of Jenny’s experience of being a transwoman in Ireland – offering an insight into her experiences before and after transition and the issues currently facing the Transgender community, and indeed the LGBTQI+ group as a whole.
