Written answers

Tuesday, 4 October 2016

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Departmental Strategy Statements

Photo of Thomas PringleThomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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523. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to reflect and deliver on a public duty (details supplied) in his Department's statement of strategy due to be published in October 2016; the way in which his Department is engaging with the programme for a partnership Government commitment to equality and gender proofing in the departmental and budgetary process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28315/16]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), established by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, has a statutory remit to protect and promote human rights and equality in the State. The Commission has been tasked with reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of law, policy, and practice relating to protection of human rights and equality and with making recommendations to Government on measures to strengthen, protect and uphold human rights and equality.

My Department, which is an employer, policy maker and service provider, is working closely with the Commission in relation to these matters and has recently appointed a senior officer to liaise with the Commission with a view to ensuring that we continue to fulfil our public sector duty. In this regard my Department's Statement of Strategy which is currently being developed, will include a commitment to develop and monitor policies and practices relevant to its functions, to ensure the rights and equality of our staff and the people we serve continue to be paramount.  

While I am satisfied that, as a Department, we strive to operate to the highest possible standard in carrying out our public service duty, we will over the coming number of months, and in close consultation with the IHREC, be undertaking an assessment of human rights and equality issues that are relevant to our functions, the services we provide and regulate and to employees of the Department.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to developing a process of budget and policy proofing as a means of advancing equality, reducing poverty and strengthening economic and social rights.  My Department will have full regard to this commitment  in the preparation and implementation of policy and budgetary proposals. There are of course currently a number of procedures in place which partially address this issue including the requirement that all Memorandums for Decision submitted to Government set out the estimated impacts of the proposal across a range of areas including gender, social inclusion and people with disabilities.

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