Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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207.To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to provide details of any anti-racism or unconscious bias training and presentations made available to staff in his Department during the period 2021 to date; the content of such training and presentations; the provider of any such training and presentations and the costs incurred for each event; if attendance at such training and presentations is mandatory or voluntary for staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24675/24]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is strongly committed to its equality and diversity goals. This is in line with the Department's Civil Service Renewal Strategy 2030, which acknowledges that Ireland has a growing and increasingly diverse population and sets out our goal of ensuring that our policy and service responses are focused on equality, inclusivity and accessibility.

In terms of recruitment, my Department has policy responsibility for recruitment to the Civil Service. As reflected in the Renewal Strategy, the Civil Service is strongly committed to equality of opportunity for all in terms of its recruitment and employment practices, and building a more diverse and inclusive workforce that is reflective of the modern Ireland that it serves. The Public Appointments Service (PAS), which is a body under the aegis of my Department, is the primary recruiter for the Civil Service and some parts of the Public Service. PAS deliver in-house unconscious bias training to their interview panel members as part of their general board briefings. There is no cost associated with this.

Within my own Department, we are dedicated to fostering an organisation with a diverse and inclusive workforce in order to best serve and reflect Irish society and to empower our staff. The Department also actively promotes and encourages an organisational culture where every individual treats one another with respect, all contributions are valued, all individuals can feel safe, that they belong and can achieve their full potential. The most recent specifically anti-racism training took place in 2021.

The Department delivers unconscious bias training as part of mandatory internal interview board briefings which are carried out by the HR Strategy Unit. Interview Board members are provided with a briefing booklet, which includes material on unconscious bias explaining the different kinds of unconscious bias which may occur and their potential effects. The material also provides links to further reading on the subject. The topic is also discussed verbally between a HR representative and the board members. There is no cost involved.