Written answers

Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Departmental Policies

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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133. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit fulfil their obligations under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34864/21]

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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134. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit undertake disability impact assessments and the process by which these assessments are monitored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34881/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together.

My Department and I are committed to ensuring that there is a culture of respect for human rights and equality among our staff and for the people to whom we provide services. This commitment is evident in my Department's recently published Statement of Strategy 2021-2023, which can be accessed on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/70e6d-statement-of-strategy-2021-2023/.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Public Sector Duty, as provided for in Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, places a legal obligation on all public bodies, including all central government departments, to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of their employees and everyone affected by their functions and services. My Department has worked closely with the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) in the development of our Public Sector Duty Assessment and Action Plan, which was published in October 2020. A copy of the Assessment and Action Plan is available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/59bac-public-sector-equality-and-human-rights-duty/.

I am mindful of the fact that this is an ongoing duty that must be continuously monitored, reviewed, and developed and my Department will continue to work with IHREC in this regard, and progress on its implementation will be reported in my Department's Annual Reports

With regard to disability impact assessments, the Government's focus is on the development of an integrated equality proofing process that covers all nine equality grounds plus poverty rather than on separate impact assessments.

In this regard, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is co-lead, with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, on the Equality Budgeting Expert Advisory Group (EBEAG). In March 2021, the Government agreed to establish an inter-departmental group for Equality Budgeting, of which my Department is a member, to facilitate the embedding of the initiative across all Government departments.

Equality Budgeting aims to provide greater information on how proposed or ongoing budgetary decisions impact on particular groups in society, thereby integrating equality concerns into the budgetary process. Providing greater information on the likely impacts of budgetary measures facilitates the integration of equality concerns into the budgetary process, helping to avoid unintended adverse outcomes and enhancing the Government's decision-making framework. Disability is a specific strand in this process.

In addition, as required under the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS), my Department has in place a disability consultative committee, known as the Accessibility Consultative Committee (ACC). The ACC's role is to monitor and review progress in relation to the implementation of actions under the NDIS where my Department and/or its agencies have the lead role. Membership of the ACC is drawn from:

- organisations representing people with disabilities;

- members of the Disability Stakeholders Group;

- key agencies under the aegis of my Department; and

- other relevant State Agencies.

Further information on public transport accessibility, including Work Programme Progress Reports, the minutes of ACC meetings, and presentations to the ACC by key State Agencies can be accessed on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/705a02-accessibility-in-transport/.

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