Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 April 2016
344. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to outline the status of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry regarding key issues faced by the Traveller community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5378/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that there is a comprehensive consultation process underway, led by my Department, to develop a new National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy to improve the situation for the Traveller and Roma communities. Phase 1 (identification of key themes for the new Strategy) and Phase 2 (identification and agreement of high level objectives under each agreed theme) of that consultation process have been completed. The final phase, Phase 3 (identification of detailed actions to achieve each agreed objective, with associated time-scales, key performance indicators, institutional responsibilities and monitoring arrangements), will commence in May 2016 and will conclude with submission of a final draft version of a new Inclusion Strategy to Government as soon as possible thereafter. This process will provide a new set of specific actions that need to be taken to bring about a real improvement in quality of life for Travellers and Roma. It is intended that the revised Inclusion Strategy will run from 2016 to 2020 and that it will be in place as early as possible in 2016. A number of cross-cutting themes have emerged in the consultation process such as accommodation, employment, health and education. My Department's role is that of policy coordination; implementation of policy in the areas of accommodation, health, education and employment is a matter for the Departments with responsibility for each of these areas.
The question of whether revised institutional arrangements for delivery of services to Travellers are necessary to bring about greater coherence in, and improve the effectiveness of, statutory services for the Traveller community has been raised during the ongoing consultation process and, as indicated on behalf of the Government during the November 2015 debate in the House on the question of recognition of Travellers as an ethnic group, will be considered in the drafting of the new Inclusion Strategy.
I have asked my officials to conduct a review of the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 to determine if amendments to the legislation or further measures are necessary to ensure the purposes of that Act are fully achieved. I might also mention that, where criminal offences such as assault, criminal damage or public order offences are committed, they are prosecuted through the wider criminal law. The trial judge can take any aggravating factors, such as a hate/racist/bias motivation, into account at sentencing.
Ireland’s human rights and equality infrastructure has been strengthened by the establishment, in November 2014, of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) as an independent statutory body following the merger of the Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority. IHREC will support public bodies in placing equality and human rights consideration at the heart of decision making. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 provides for an extensive range of functions for IHREC, including "to encourage the development of a culture of respect for human rights, equality and inter-cultural understanding in the State”.
A significant innovation in the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 is the introduction of a positive duty on public bodies to have due regard to human rights and equality in their work and to conduct their business in a manner that is consistent with individual human rights. Under that Act (section 42), public bodies are obliged to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and protect human rights. The Commission will assist public bodies to comply with the positive duty, including by producing guidelines and codes of practice. This means the systematic integration of an equality and human right perspective into everyday work, including changes to organisational cultures, so that such a perspective is an integral part of the organisation.
