Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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424. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the actions that his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department are taking to increase recruitment of members of the LGBTQIA+ communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38410/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The majority of staff employed by my Department are recruited via the Public Appointments Service (PAS). I understand that all recruitment activities are undertaken by the PAS in line with the Commission for Public Service Appointment's (CPSA) Code of Practice for Appointment to Positions in the Civil Service and Public Service ensuring equity, fairness, equal opportunity, diversity and inclusion for all applicants. Their recruitment activities are also underpinned by their Equality, Inclusion and Diversity strategy 2021-2023 available at which identifies the key strategic priorities of greater knowledge and understanding of diversity in the recruitment market and the Irish public sector and also recruitment and selection processes that encourage and enable access to candidates from diverse backgrounds.

However, I would also note that officials of my Department are in regular communication with PAS on the subject of equality, diversity and inclusion and ensuring that the processes operated by PAS can best support the development of a broad pool of candidates.

The information in respect of the aegis bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with her query.