Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 October 2019
204. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps taken to carry out the necessary assessment required under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014. [43750/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra205. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the initiatives undertaken by her Department to fulfil its statutory obligations under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014. [43755/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together.
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) Act 2014 introduced a positive duty on public bodies to have due regard to human rights and equality issues. My Department’s mission is to promote active participation and inclusion in society through the framework of employment rights and the provision of income supports, employment services and other services.
The Department's objective is to continue putting our customers at the centre of all our operations, providing an efficient and effective service and continue developing our staff, structures and processes.
The Department has engaged with the IHREC on a number of fronts in recent times. During 2018, the IHREC Chief Commissioner, Ms Emily Logan presented at the Department’s Senior Management Conference. In addition IHREC presented at the Social Inclusion Forum which the Department hosted in the Aviva Stadium and the Department's Assistant Principal forum in Dublin Castle, attended by over 200 senior managers. A departmental working group was established in 2018 which assessed DEASP's actions in the area of public sector duty.
This Department has also promoted the Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality offered by IHREC in conjunction with the IPA and a number of staff have undertaken this course. In addition, representatives from the Department's policy areas are due to undertake Public Sector Duty training with IHREC in November, 2019.
The Department provides ongoing supports and learning programmes to create awareness in relation equality for the benefit of staff and customers.
All new staff undertake a two-day Induction and Orientation course, one day of which is focused on best customer service practice and addresses issues of equality and diversity, discrimination and unconscious bias to underpin the significance of these matters.
The Department's Staff Development Unit promotes to staff the e-learning module, Delivering Equality in Public Services: An Introduction for Frontline Staff hosted on the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. This e-learning course provides an introduction to equality in service delivery. It is designed for frontline workers in the public sector to help them make equality real in their day-to-day work in the context of equality law. A dedicated intranet site also provides access to e-learning modules from the National Disability Authority- Disability Equality Training for Public Sector Staff.
The Department has recently developed a suite of Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) accredited learning programmes in collaboration with the National College of Ireland (NCI) directly addressing topics such as decision making and bias as well as ethics, equality and diversity. The current Certificate in Social Protection Studies explicitly references the Public Sector Duty and is available to all staff in my Department.
