Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2021
602. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit fulfil their obligations under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34848/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 42 of the Irish Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 requires all Public Bodies to have regard to the need to -
(a) Eliminate discrimination
(b) Promote equality of opportunity and treatment of its staff and the persons to whom it provides services and
(c) protect the human rights of its members, staff and the persons to whom it provides services.
The Department is committed to promoting and maintaining an inclusive and diverse workplace for all employees and the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policy, which was launched in 2018 builds on the Department's core values in the areas of equality, diversity and inclusion.
The Department values each employee both for who they are and what they contribute to the work of the Department.
The Department is also committed to ensuring wide accessibility to all our services and participates in a wide range of interdepartmental working groups within the social inclusion area.
The Department's current Statement of Strategy 2021-2024 sets out as one of our core values "A strong commitment to diversity, inclusion and the fair and equal treatment of all." These core values are embraced in respect of both our own employees and clients of the Department who avail of our wide range of services.
The Department is a long time supporter of providing employment opportunities for persons with disabilities and has participated for many years in the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) Programme. This programme provides a six month paid and mentored work placement for graduates with a disability. In the last few years, the Department has increased the number of placements it has made available under the WAM programme. Many former participants of the programme have gone on to secure permanent employment in the Civil Service.
The Department has also participated in the Job Shadow Initiative on a continuous basis since 2009. Job Shadow Day is a national project, bringing people with disabilities and local employers together for one day to promote equal employment opportunities.
Following the launch of the Oireachtas Work Learning programme (OWL) by the Ceann Comhairle in September 2018, the Department has collaborated with the Houses of the Oireachtas to provide learning opportunities for trainees on this programme. The OWL programme is a learning, development and socialisation programme for young adults with an intellectual disability. The programme aims to provide a real and applied learning experience to the participants in a safe and secure work environment, to support them in developing the skills which will lead them to access paid employment in the open labour market.
The Department's Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) fosters awareness of equality and disability issues among staff and provides advice, support and guidance to staff. The Disability Liaison Officer also facilitates reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities to ensure each person has equal opportunities for training and career progression throughout their career in the Department.
The Department has focused on gender balance initiatives since 2011, monitors its gender pay gap and has seen a decrease in this gap from 20.5% in 2013 to 13.2% in 2020.
The Department was the subject of a recently published ESRI report on FLEXIBLE WORKING AND GENDER BALANCE: A CASE STUDY OF AN IRISH CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT in which they reviewed the outcome of a Gender Balance Committee Survey on Gender Balance and Flexible Working Arrangements within the Department.
Cultural Diversity day was celebrated throughout the Department in May 2021 with a virtual talk on cultural diversity in the workplace delivered to all staff. There is also an active LGBTI+ Network for employees within the Department and we have celebrated PRIDE for the last number of years by hosting talks and raising awareness of inclusion for members of the LGBTI+ community both within and outside of my Department. The Department promotes a workplace where each person has the freedom to bring their authentic self to work and each person is free to flourish and realise their potential.
The Department aims to ensure that the needs of all its customers, including persons with disabilities are met and that the rights of equal treatment are upheld in the delivery of services.
In accordance with Section 26(2) of the Disability Act 2005, two Access Officers were appointed within the Department to provide assistance, support, advice and guidance to persons with disabilities in accessing services provided by the Department.
The recent move to the www.gov.ie portal enabled the Department to redesign its website to comply with the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) and the National Disability Authority (NDA) guidelines, ensuring the website's content is at a suitable reading comprehension level for all.
The matter of the fulfilment of obligations under Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act by the State Agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for the Agencies themselves and I will ask the Agencies to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
