Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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151. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the actions her Department has taken to fulfil its public sector duty obligations. [9925/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 outlines a positive duty on public bodies to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality and protect the human rights of staff and the persons to whom services are provided. It also requires public bodies to carry out an assessment of the human rights and equality issues relevant to their functions and purpose and to set out the policies, plans and actions in place or proposed to be put in place to address those issues.

My Department's Statement of Strategy 2016-2019 was published on 14 February which commits the organisation to carrying out the necessary assessment. This will be completed as quickly as possible, following which the relevant actions will be set out and put in place, including enhanced staff training and information as appropriate.