Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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256. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the UNCERD recommendation in its third and fourth monitoring report (details supplied) has been implemented. [31184/18]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission was established on 1 November 2014, as an independent public body with a mandate under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 (IHREC Act 2014).  I should point out, of course, that the Commission is fully independent in the discharge of its functions and so is not directed by the State in the development of work plans.

The IHREC Act 2014 establishes a general mandate, for the Commission, to promote understanding and awareness of the importance of human rights and equality in the State and more specifically to provide or assist in the provision of education and training on human rights and equality issues. 

The Deputy may be interested to know that IHREC launched a Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality in 2015 accredited by University College Dublin and delivered in conjunction with the Institute of Public Administration.  The programme is targeted at those working in civil and public administration, in government Departments and state authorities. The course provides a comprehensive introduction to the increasingly important place of human rights and equality in the Irish public service. 

Training for civil servants is also provided by the Commission in e-learning format.  An online programme titled “Delivering Equality in Public Services: An Introduction for Front Line Staff” provides public sector staff with the essentials they need to know about Irish equality law in their work. In addition to the core parts of the equality legislation, the course provides explanations of diversity, stereotyping and positive action as well as why these matter for front-line public sector staff.

A particular innovation in the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act is the creation in Section 42 of a positive legal duty on public bodies to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality, and protect human rights, in their daily work. This requires public bodies to take pro-active steps to address the equality and human rights issues that affect the people who use their services, people affected by their policies and people employed in the organisation.

The Commission is playing an important role in assisting and supporting public bodies to comply with this new Duty, including by the development of practical guidance and resources for public bodies and a campaign of awareness raising across a wide range of public bodies and civil society organisations. The Commission has also recently undertaken pilot projects with five separate organisations (Cork City Council; Monaghan County Council; University College Cork; Irish Probation Service; Community Action Network) with the aim of supporting the development of approaches to implementing the Duty in differing contexts. The Commission also allocated grant funding in 2016 and 2017 to organisations to promote human rights and equality. In 2017, awards were made under two overarching themes, one of which was to support the implementation of the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty.

In the wider public sector, organisations are developing their approaches to implementing the Duty under the guidance of the Commission. Several large public sector organisations, including the Department of Justice and Equality and Revenue, have established cross-divisional working groups tasked with working collaboratively to integrate the duty into existing policies and structures.

In an effort to promote and maintain best practice in the areas of equality, human rights and non-discrimination, members of An Garda Síochána are provided with a range of training programmes in these areas. This aims to ensure that no element of stereotyping or prejudice consciously or unconsciously informs day-to-day policing decisions.

The new trainee Student Education/Training Programme for Garda recruits, which involves a total of 104 weeks training, now results in an award of a Bachelor of Arts (Level 7) in Applied Policing. Human rights modules have been threaded through this Programme and this is a core competency on which students are assessed.

In addition, An Garda Síochána has a comprehensive education, training and information system for the continuous professional development of all members. This development programme incorporates the following human rights training:

- There is a two and a half day human rights and anti-racism module on the Sergeant and Inspector Development courses;

- A human rights module on the course for Senior Investigating Officers is provided by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. In addition there are inputs on human rights on the Superintendent and Chief Superintendent Development Courses.