Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty

The Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty (‘the Duty’) is a statutory obligation on public bodies to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and protect human rights of our elected members, employees, services users and policy beneficiaries, under Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 (“Act”), (Link to Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 (irishstatutebook.ie))

We integrate equality and human rights into the core of our operations. Dublin City Council is committed to addressing the equality and human rights issues across all our functions and in the design and delivery of our services.

The identified groups for the Duty are:

• those groups covered by the nine protected grounds under equality legislation: gender civil status; family status (including lone parents and carers); age; disability; sexual orientation; race; religion, and membership of the Traveller community;
• those at risk of or experiencing poverty, the ground of disadvantaged socio-economic status; and
• individual rights holders under the various international human rights instruments.

Our ambition in implementing the Duty is framed by the following values:

• Dignity and respect - People being treated in a manner that recognises their intrinsic human worth
• Diversity and accessibility - Difference is welcomed and valued and diversity is accommodated in access to our services and in employment
• Inclusion and social justice - The diversity of people have the resources and opportunities to participate fully in all aspects of life in the city.
• Participation and engagement - The diversity of people have opportunities to have a say on matters and in decisions that affect them
• Choice and autonomy -The preferences and choices of the diversity of people are acknowledged with appropriate options available in service delivery and employment where possible

The Human Resources Department holds responsibility for the ongoing implementation of the Duty across Dublin City Council. Based on the implementation plan for the Duty, it supports and monitors Departments to implement the Duty in relation to the policies, plans, strategies and programmes identified, in their Annual Service Delivery Plan (ASDP), to be subject to the Address Step.

Section 42 of the Act requires Dublin City Council to undertake three steps in giving effect to this Duty: Assess, Address and Report.

Assess Step:

Dublin City Council has, in an ongoing process that is to encompass all Departments, conducted an evidence-based and participative assessment of the human rights and equality issues it believes to be relevant to its functions and purpose for the following departments:

• Dublin Fire Brigade
• Human Resources, Corporate Services and Transformation
• Culture, Recreational and Economic Services
• Digital Services and Smart Cities
• Chief Executive's Office
• Law Department

The assessments of the human rights and equality issues undertaken are available as part of Duty implementation plans for each Department, available below. This will ultimately be combined as a single Dublin City Council assessment of equality and human rights issues relevant to its functions, and made available on the website by the end of 2024.

Address Step:

In implementing the Address Step, Dublin City Council has put in place implementation plans for the Duty, developed by each Department to drive the ongoing implementation of the Address Step in addressing the equality and human rights issues as assessed by each Department. These implementation plans are available below. These will ultimately be combined as a single Dublin City Council implementation plan and made available on the website.

Annually, each department, based on their ASDP, will identify those plans, policies, strategies and programmes to be subject to the Address Step of the Duty that year, and is responsible for implementing the Address Step and reporting on progress made on the relevant equality and human rights issues. The commitments from each of the Departmental ASDP’s will be combined in a single Dublin City Council Duty Action Plan and made available on the website in January 2025.

Dublin City Council will develop and implement a range of plans, policies and actions that specifically target the identified groups for the Duty with a view to addressing the equality and human rights issues they encounter. These initially include: Traveller Accommodation Programme; Strategic Plan for Housing People with a Disability; and Age Friendly Strategy. Further such targeted initiatives will be developed as required.

Report Step:

Each department will report on a biannual basis within the ASDP process, on progress made in implementing the Duty and in addressing the equality and human rights issues identified.

Dublin City Council will report annually on developments and achievements in implementing the Duty within Dublin City Council’s annual report.

Public Sector Duty Departmental Assessment of Equality & Human Rights Issues and Implementation Plans

Public Sector Duty Implementation Strategy and Action Plan (Corporate Plan 2020-2024):

We have a high level framework strategy for implementation of our Public Sector Duty which is referenced in our Corporate Plan 2020-2024. This document details the values on which our strategy is based and sets out our high level goals, objectives and actions under the following headings:

• Services
• Employees
• Projects, Procurement, Grants, Outsourcing and Service Level Agreements
• Plans and Programmes
• Implementation and Oversight

Tel: (01) 222 3136 

Email: [email protected]