Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the obligation there is on local authorities to have in place equality policies for both staff and in serving the public; the number of local authorities that have such policies in place; if checks are carried out by his Department to determine if such policies are in place and operating satisfactorily; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20940/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2007 and the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004 provide a legislative and administrative framework for equality in Ireland. There is no legal obligation on local authorities under these Acts to have equality policies in place. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has no statutory powers or obligation to check whether such policies exist. Such measures are not compulsory but are encouraged as good practice by the Equality Authority through its Employment Equality Review and Action Plan Scheme.

The Equality Authority has a broad mandate under equality legislation to combat discrimination and promote equality of opportunity in the areas covered by the Acts. The Equality Authority may invite a particular business, group of businesses or the businesses making up a particular industry to carry out an equality review in relation to their business, or businesses. It may also invite them to prepare and implement an equality action plan in respect of that business or those businesses.

The Equality Authority may, if it thinks it appropriate, carry out an equality review and prepare an equality action plan in relation to a particular business, group of businesses or the businesses making up a particular industry or sector thereof. For the purpose of assisting in the conduct of such an audit or examination, the Authority may, with the approval of the Minister, employ one or more persons having qualifications which, in the opinion of the Authority, relate to that examination.

The Equality Authority has supported an employment equality review of Leitrim County Council and a similar review of Cavan County Council is currently being completed. A survey undertaken by the Local Government Management Services Board in 2007 indicated that all local authorities had employment equality policies in place and that 62% of local authorities had equal status policies governing their dealings with clients.

The Equality Authority is currently working with the Local Government Management Services Board to promote equal status policies for local authorities and to support them to put such policies in place.