Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty

Implementing the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty in the Department

The Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty (the Public Sector Duty) is set out in section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014. It is a statutory obligation on Public bodies, in the performance of their functions, to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and protect human rights of staff and service users. It requires Public bodies to assess, address and report on progress in relation to equality and human rights, in a manner that is accessible to the public.

Given the nature of the Department’s role, it does not generally provide services directly to the general public or businesses. Nonetheless, the Public Sector Duty obligations impact on the Department’s functions in many ways. To address this and to ensure that it informs all relevant roles in the Department on an ongoing basis, the Statement of Strategy includes, under the Our Enablers section, a commitment to:

• Supporting and investing in our people and culture; and

• Implementing our Public Sector Duty and Climate Action Mandate

The Strategic Goals section of the Statement of Strategy includes the following outcomes that are relevant to meeting the Department’s Public Sector Duty:

• Promote and support open, accountable and transparent Government and Public administration in the Public Service;

• Build public trust in our administration and reinforce democracy through fiscal prudence and initiatives such as open data, open Government and understanding and addressing levels and drivers of public trust;

• Enable a high performing and skilled workforce with progressive and sustainable HR policies that promote flexibility, wellbeing and inclusion;

• Work with and across the Public Service to strengthen its capability in deploying Digital and Innovative products and techniques to better our people;

The following key vehicles are used by the Department to address its Public Sector Duty obligations:

• the Equality Budgeting initiative;

• People Strategy for the Civil Service;

• Public Sector Climate Action Mandate;

• Civil Service Renewal 2030; and the

• Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

The development of each of these was informed by the requirements of the Public Sector Duty and the development of follow-on strategies will be similarly informed. Progress in relation to each of them is set out in the Department’s Annual Reports .