Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a matter for the boards and directors or CEOs of the bodies funded by my Department, including those bodies directly under my Department's remit, to ensure that as employers they are compliant with all aspects of employment rights legislation, including those aspects relating to bullying and harassment in the workplace.

Everyone is entitled to be treated with respect, dignity, fairness and equality in the workplace. In recent times, there have been a number of alarming allegations and reports of sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace relating to the arts community. While all workplaces are obliged to comply with employment legislation, I have identified a number of actions that I can take as Minister in respect of the bodies reporting to my Department.

The intention is to help boards under the aegis of my Department fulfil their functions more effectively and to support them in ensuring that policies on equality and respect in the workforce operate effectively and in line with best practice. These actions include arranging separate dedicated governance workshops for board members and senior staff, with a particular emphasis on issues relating to bullying, abuse of power and sexual harassment in the workplace; working on a collaborative basis with the Arts Council to make similar training available to other cultural organisations and arts centres around the country at a series of regional information days; highlighting once again to bodies reporting to the Department the nature of their legal obligations by seeking assurances of their compliance with obligations under employment legislation; and accelerating a planned review of compliance by bodies reporting to the Department with the requirements of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.

I am confident that these support measures will contribute to the further enhancement of existing governance structures in bodies reporting to my Department.

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