Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020
875. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his Department has a diversity and inclusion policy in place; the measures taken to promote diversity and inclusion from 1 January 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11828/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s People Strategy 2018-2020 was developed in partnership with staff and sets out the strategic priorities, objectives and actions through which we wish to engage, support, develop and lead our staff, in alignment with our strategic goals. The strategic goals identified under our ‘WELL’ Strategy are ‘Wellbeing’, ‘Engagement’, ‘Learning and Development’ and ‘Leadership’, which reflect the evolving nature of working life in the Department and the diversity of needs, motivations and experiences that are a feature of the modern workplace. Under the heading of Leadership we are committed to enhancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Some specific measures to support diversity and inclusion include the following:
- My Department has been involved in the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) programme since 2018, offering graduates with disabilities a 6-month work placement within the Department;
- My Department supports the Job Shadow Day initiative on an annual basis, as part of the national project which brings people with disabilities and local employers together for one day; for the last number of years we have teamed with the Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability (WALK);
- In 2019, my Department established its LGBT+ staff network, which organises events and talks on a continuous basis and is chaired by an Assistant Secretary General;
- My Department is currently finalising its Universal Design and Accessibility Policy and Action Plan, which aims to demonstrate the Department’s commitment to accessibility, the principles of Universal Design and reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities;
- Since 2019, the Secretary General has given his supports to the 30% Club, which promotes gender equality on boards and senior management, fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace;
- In 2019, the Department facilitated the North East Inner City (NEIC) workplace programme, which provides students in inner city DEIS schools with access to and insight into professions and career paths outside their existing network of contacts; and
- This year, my Department has run Disability Awareness Training, supporting our commitments under the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021.
In addition, my Department has a Disability Liaison Officer who provides additional support to staff with disabilities on an ongoing basis, providing reasonable accommodations as appropriate.
My Department complies with all central policy and guidance. It should be noted that the Civil Service People Strategy 2018-2020 commits to review and revise the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion policy, which my Department will fully support in due course.
