Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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95. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide information on the number of persons of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds currently working in his Department and in other public service organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20436/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the Civil Service does not collect data pertaining to the ethnic and cultural background of its currently serving staff. In relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department such information is not generally available. Where the ethnic and cultural background of individuals may be evident within a body under my Department's remit due to the small numbers working for the body, I am of the view,  in keeping with Data Protection legislation, that it would be inappropriate to release such  information.  

However, the Civil Service is strongly committed to equality of opportunity in all its employment practices. As an employer, the Civil Service must fulfil its obligations under equality legislation, particularly the Employment Equality Act 1998. While recognising that people are different, employment practices must ensure that these differences do not lead to unlawful discrimination in the workplace.

The Civil Service Diversity Policy was launched in 2002 and reviewed in 2006. Together with the Civil Service Gender Equality Policy, these policies were designed to ensure that the Civil Service put equality at the centre of its approach to human resource management.  

There is a considerable body of legislation and case law dealing with equality in the workplace. In common with all employers, the Civil Service is responsible in law for upholding equality legislation. The Diversity Policy aims to ensure that all civil servants and their customers, both internal and external, can be confident that no one will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, age, race, religion, disability, or membership of the Traveller community and throughout their working lives. Civil Servants can be assured of equality of participation in their Department, regardless of gender, marital or family status, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller community.  

As an employer, the Civil Service will strive to achieve real equality of opportunity by continuously monitoring its employment practices to ensure that they do not perpetuate existing inequalities.

Responsibility for the implementation of equality of opportunity lies with the Head of each Department.