Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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248. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the initiatives she has taken or plans to take to address issues of harassment, sexual or otherwise, throughout the bodies under her Department. [48250/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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It is a matter for the Boards and Directors or CEOs of the bodies under my Department's remit  to ensure that,  as employers,  they are compliant with their legal obligations under the Employment Equality Acts relating to bullying and harassment in the workplace. All boards have a duty to ensure that their bodies comply with statutory requirements and to ensure that their staff can work in a safe and respectful environment. These are HR matters which are the responsibility of the management of each independent institution.

In recent times, as we know, there have been a number of alarming allegations and reports about sexual harassment in the workplace relating to the arts community. That is why I identified a number of actions that I can take as Minister in relation to the bodies reporting to my Department. The intention is to help boards fulfil their functions more effectively, and to support them in ensuring that policies in relation to equality and respect in the workforce operate effectively in line with best practice. These include:

- Arranging separate dedicated workshops for board members and senior staff with a particular emphasis on issues relating to bullying, abuse of power and sexual harassment in the workplace;

- Extending an invitation to all other cultural organisations and arts centres around the country to avail of similar training; and

- Highlighting once again to bodies reporting to the Department the nature of their legal obligations, by seeking assurances of their compliance with obligations under employment legislation.

In addition, I will accelerate a planned review of compliance by bodies under the aegis of my Department with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.

More broadly, I have been engaging with the Arts Council and the National Theatre to facilitate an industry wide consultation exercise to be held before the end of the month. As I have said I believe that working together my Department, the Arts Council and leading members of theatre organisations can encourage a safe and respectful environment free from abuse of power and sexual harassment.