Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide the equality audits carried out by his Department in relation to any area of public expenditure since his Department was set up in 2011. [3071/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Programme for Government contains a clear commitment that all public bodies would take due note of equality and human rights in carrying out their functions. The State and its bodies must, of course, comply with all provisions of equality legislation in the development and delivery of policies and services.

On a Departmental level, it is the responsibility of individual Ministers and their officials to manage expenditure whilst also ensuring that appropriate consideration is given to matters of equality.

Equality audits as referred to by the Deputy in the question do not form part of the Expenditure Code as published on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

The Equality Authority, which is under the auspices of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, has the powers under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2011 to carry out equality reviews.