Equality Budgeting

Equality Budgeting recognises the budget as more than a neutral process of resource allocation. It examines public expenditure designed to address inequalities and thus provides greater information on the likely impacts of proposed/ ongoing budgetary measures on specific groups in society. Equality Budgeting is anchored in the overarching performance budgeting framework. As a core pillar of the framework, it embeds the consideration of distributional effects into the decision-making process and facilitates ongoing monitoring of the impact of Government policy on tackling inequalities across society.

Its aim is to increase transparency and accountability on the level of resources being engaged to advance equality, reduce poverty and strengthen economic and social outcomes, across all sectors of society. It does this through the same system as overall Performance – setting commitments (targets) in the REV for the year ahead and the corresponding delivery metrics in this annual PSPR. Equality Budgeting was introduced in Ireland in 2018 and has progressed considerably since, from its gender roots to broadening its scope to other dimensions of equality including poverty, socioeconomic inequality, disability and minority groups. The number and quality of equality metrics has significantly improved in the interim period.

Equality budgeting includes all nine grounds of discrimination under Ireland’s Equality legislation, as well as socio-economic status.

OECD Scan: Equality Budgeting in Ireland

Building on the Equality Budgeting pilot, the Department of Justice and Equality, and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform requested that the OECD take stock of actions that the Government of Ireland has taken to mainstream equality considerations as part of the budget process. This Scan provides options and recommendations on future directions for equality budgeting in Ireland, in light of national developments and international experience.

The Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform is committed to working with other Departments and Agencies, and with experts and advocacy groups, in order to advance the Equality Budgeting initiative to best international standards.

Against this background, an Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group has been established to assist in the further development and roll-out of Equality Budgeting in Ireland.

• to provide constructive, critical feedback on the Equality Budgeting initiative to date
• to provide expert guidance and informed insights on the future direction and areas of focus for Equality Budgeting, including in light of international experience, lessons from other policy areas and from academia
• to promote a coherent, cross-government approach to Equality Budgeting, to maximise equality impacts and avoid duplication of effort across various policy areas
• to identify existing strengths of the Irish policy-making system which can be leveraged in support of Equality Budgeting, along with potential shortcomings that need to be addressed in this regard.

• Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (Chair)
• Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
• Department of Finance
• Department of Justice and Equality
• Central Statistics Office
• Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission
• National Economic and Social Council
• National Disability Authority
• National Women's Council of Ireland
• Economic and Social Research Institute

In line with the principles of openness and transparency, the Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group operates under the guidelines set out in the Transparency Code. This means that the group’s membership, work programme, and the minutes and agendas of all meetings are published here on this website.

Further details on the Transparency Code can be found here.

Terms of Reference

Minutes and Agendas

In 2021 an Interdepartmental Group on Equality Budgeting was established, with the aim to facilitate the embedding of Equality Budgeting initiatives across all Government departments. This group is a key driver in ensuring Equality Budgeting is fully implemented across all Government Departments.

By improving knowledge sharing across departments, this network will help to resolve several challenges highlighted by the OECD. The network facilitates cross-government training on the purpose and application of Equality Budgeting.

In conjunction with the Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory group, this network informs the future direction of Equality Budgeting policy, in line with broader cross-governmental developments, such as the well-being framework.

Co-chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the inter-departmental network includes officials from each Department with members having a broad knowledge of the policy work undertaken by that department and its relevance to advancing the goals of equality and inclusion.

In line with the principles of openness and transparency, the Equality Budgeting Interdepartmental Network operates under the guidelines set out in the Transparency Code – the network’s membership, work programme, and the minutes and agendas of meetings are published on this website.

Further details on the Transparency Code can be found here.

Terms of Reference

Agenda and Minutes