Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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21. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his Department's Public Sector Duty Equality and Human Rights Assessment. [25562/23]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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22. To ask the Taoiseach the measures he has taken to improve gender equality in his Department. [29330/23]

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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23. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his Department's public sector duty equality and human rights assessment. [29333/23]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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24. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his Department's public sector duty equality and human rights assessment. [29397/23]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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25. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his Department’s public sector duty equality and human rights assessment. [29536/23]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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26. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his Department’s public sector duty equality and human rights assessment. [29539/23]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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27. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his Department’s public sector duty equality and human rights assessment. [29542/23]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 to 27, inclusive, together.

Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 imposes a statutory obligation on public bodies in performing their functions to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and treatment for staff and persons to whom it provides services, and protect the human rights of staff and service users.

The Department has conducted and published its public sector duty equality and human rights assessment focusing on how the duty impacts on three main areas of activity, namely, services provided to the public, the Department's role in policy development and how the Department treats its own staff. It also contains a summary of potential gaps identified and the appropriate actions to be taken. These include a commitment to good customer service to ensure fair and equal consideration for all members of the public who contact the offices of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste or Ministers of State; appropriate access to our offices by staff and visitors and to various State events run by the Department; improving the accessibility of government communications, including through the work of the Government Information Service; and equality of opportunity for all departmental staff in all of its employment practices. The assessment has been undertaken in line with guidelines published by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. The assessment report is published and available to view on gov.ie.

The specific training requirements identified in the assessment will be incorporated in the Department’s learning and development strategy and progress on implementation will be set out in the Department’s annual report. The Department is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all staff, recognising that a diverse workforce helped by an inclusive culture can improve organisational capacity, boosting creativity and innovation and lead to better decision-making. The publication of the Department's first gender pay gap report in December 2022 helped to bring a specific focus on gender diversity and continue the alignment of our actions for improvement in gender equality as part of the broader work to enhance equality, diversity and inclusion in the Department.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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The Women's Aid annual report was published and makes for very stark reading. We are talking about nearly 34,000 disclosures of domestic violence. We know this is right across Irish society, including public bodies. We need to know what plans are in place to ensure we can provide the rights and protections these women deserve.

To these figures I will add a number of figures which Women's Aid Dundalk has provided, taken between January and October 2022. There were 1,489 calls to the helpline and 310 requests for refuge accommodation, 293 of which were not able to be accommodated. This is because women have to stay in Women's Aid accommodation for longer. We all know the issues that exist. There were 156 online contacts, while 190 women attended the Women's Aid clinics in Dundalk and 907 individual women contacted Women's Aid Dundalk looking for support, 766 for the very first time. Women's Aid Dundalk has stated it is almost full constantly. We all know the issues at hand. What does the Government intend to do to deliver what is necessary, which is everything from accommodation to work conditions?

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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There are many disturbing and unacceptable aspects to the homelessness crisis but undoubtedly one of the worst of them is the number of children living in homeless situations. It is difficult to overstate how much the State is letting down children who have to endure emergency accommodation and homelessness, particularly for long periods.

I have raised multiple times in here the case of a young woman with her son who has been in homeless accommodation for four years. Nobody should be in homeless accommodation and it is a failing of the State that people are, but I ask that priority be put on looking at people in such accommodation for lengthy periods, particularly children. What is the State going to do to forensically audit those in that situation? What additional efforts will the State make to help those families and children to get out of that situation? It is unacceptable that children should be in this appalling situation for long periods. The damage it is doing to children will be lifelong. Will the Taoiseach focus on that aspect and tell us what he can do or is willing to do to address that unacceptable situation?

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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I welcome the fact the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, has sent a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, on the killing of George Nkencho. I understand the Taoiseach will not be able to comment on the particular case. However, broader issues are raised by George’s killing. A statement was issued by his sister, Gloria Nkencho, yesterday, which raises some of those issues. She said:

As we reflect upon the conclusion of the investigation into George's tragic death, it is imperative to acknowledge the insidious influence of racial bias that tainted the initial media coverage of George’s case. We cannot ignore the manner in which journalists, including those from the national broadcaster, RTÉ, portrayed our family’s arduous struggle for justice. The impact of inaccurate reporting, fuelled by leaks from An Garda Síochána, continues to shape the prevailing narrative. However, today's announcement fills us with hope that this long-standing injustice will be rectified, finally dispelling the inaccuracies that have plagued the understanding of the facts surrounding [George's] untimely death. We are also compelled to express our profound disappointment in the political response, or [rather the] lack thereof. It is disheartening to witness the major political parties in the State, who should have been beacons of support and solidarity, fail to stand beside our family in our relentless quest for justice. This glaring absence underscores the impression within marginalised communities that members of An Garda Síochána can operate with impunity even in the aftermath of such a heart-wrenching tragedy. We also raise valid concerns about the potential role of racial bias in shaping the decision of politicians to withhold public support. It is impossible to overlook the question: Would the response have been different if the victim had been a white, middle-class young man from the leafy suburbs of south [County] Dublin?

I think Gloria is right and all those questions go to the heart of public sector duty for equality and the need for human rights assessment.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I will start with the sad death of George Nkencho. George was a constituent of mine and sadly was killed in the way that he was. I met his family and his legal team. It was a virtual meeting because it was during the pandemic. A GSOC investigation was established. That was the appropriate course of action. None of us as politicians should jump to conclusions. GSOC has now carried out its investigation, a file is with the DPP and the DPP will decide whether the gardaí concerned have a case to answer. We should await that decision. The right thing to do in terms of natural justice is not to jump to a conclusion as to what happened. Let us see what decision is made by the DPP and, if it goes to trial, what the outcome is.

I extend my sympathies again to the family and friends of George and to the wider community, which was deeply affected by this. They have our sympathies, given what they have had to endure, but it is not right for any of us, no matter what perspective we are coming from, to jump to conclusions. GSOC carried out an investigation. That was appropriate. The matter is now with the DPP, who will decide whether anyone has a case to answer and we will take it from there.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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My question was explicitly not about the detail but about the broader issue of racial bias among politicians, RTÉ, journalists etc.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am not sure. It is hard for me to answer that. In terms of my actions, I do not think I personally was guilty of racial bias, nor was my party. I met the family and their legal team. I also contacted the Garda but did not meet with the gardaí involved. It is my view that we should allow an investigation to take place. That is just me; I cannot speak for other politicians, RTÉ or the media. I do not think the Deputy is accusing me of racial bias but if he is, I do not think it is a fair charge.

On Deputy Boyd Barrett’s question on families with children in emergency accommodation for a prolonged period – for years, as he put it – I agree it is not acceptable. It is unacceptable that anybody should be in emergency accommodation for a prolonged period, particularly for several years. I will raise it at the housing committee, which will happen next week and with the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien. I agree they should be prioritised. It has probably been done already - I am not sure - but we would need to drill down into the details behind why people are in emergency accommodation for such a prolonged period. I know of some cases where accommodation was offered but turned down. I am sure that is not all or most cases, but it is some cases. That is different. In some cases, families may not be eligible for social housing because they are from overseas. There are different circumstances. We would need to drill down and understand better why people might be in emergency accommodation for such a prolonged period, which should not happen. I agree they should be prioritised.

I express my deep concern at the figures in the Women's Aid report and the fact there is such a high level of violence against women and domestic and gender-based violence. It is something the Government takes seriously. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, is showing enormous leadership in the actions she is taking to deal with it. As Deputies will be aware, much work is being done to establish a new agency to help us tackle gender-based and domestic violence.

The Minister, Deputy McEntee, favours the establishment of a domestic violence register. Domestic violence leave will be coming into effect quite soon. We are also making progress on refuge spaces, in particular. As a start, we have committed to doubling the number of refuge spaces and are working to deliver additional safe homes and step-down accommodation. The development of 24 units is now under way, at the moment in Wexford, Dundalk and Navan. The units will all be providing next year. There will be 98 further units in priority locations by 2025, along with a further 19 additional and upgraded units by the end of the strategy period.