Public sector duty
Ó Oifig an Choimisinéara um Fhaisnéis Comhshaoil
Foilsithe
An t-eolas is déanaí
Teanga: Níl leagan Gaeilge den mhír seo ar fáil.
Ó Oifig an Choimisinéara um Fhaisnéis Comhshaoil
Foilsithe
An t-eolas is déanaí
Teanga: Níl leagan Gaeilge den mhír seo ar fáil.
Our Office is an unusual one, comprising seven different statutory functions. We share office space, ICT staff and systems, legal & HR support as well as procurement and finance staff. “The Office” collectively refers to the individual statutory bodies listed below.
The purpose of this note is to set out our re-assessment of the Office’s Public Sector Duty (PSD) commitments. In undertaking and documenting this re-assessment we have evaluated what has been done to date and what remains to be done from previous action PSD action plans and we have identified new areas where human rights and equality issues could be improved further. This is reflected in revised Action Plan for 2022-2025.
The Office established a PSD Working Group (WG) in 2018 to assess the human rights and equality issues which arise in relation to the functions of (the then) five statutory bodies, as well as our corporate functions as an employer and purchaser of goods and services. A PSD Committee was established drawing on a diverse group of people from across the different statutory functions. The Committee developed an initial action plan, which was approved by the MAC (October 2018) and incorporated into the Office’s strategy statement for 2019-2021.
Due to staffing changes, work pressures and a focus on core activities during COVID-19 with the majority of staff working from home, the Office’s PSD Committee met infrequently during 2020/2021. The Committee was refreshed in Q1, 2022 to further build on work already underway to promote, Human Rights, Equality and Diversity in the Office.
Section 42(2) of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 places an obligation on our Office as a Public Sector Body (PSB) to inter alia:
1. Assess – set out in our strategic plan an assessment of the human rights and equality issues it believes to be relevant to the functions and purposes of the body;
2. Address – set out in our strategic plan the policies, plans and actions in place or proposed to be put in place to address those issues; and
3. Report – report on developments and achievements in our annual report.
In re-assessing our Public Sector Duty we have carried out the following actions:
Some of the more complex actions which were identified as part of the last Action Plan are being carried forward to our 2025 Action Plan. A key objective of our 2025 Action Plan will be the introduction of a human rights based approach to the Office of the Ombudsman’s complaints handling work. A dedicated PSD Sub-Committee has been established to examine how a human rights approach might be introduced and to develop a Human Rights Manual and training for Office of the Ombudsman caseworkers.
Our Action Plan has been presented to the Office’s Senior Management Team and is incorporated into the Office Statement of Strategy 2022 - 2025. We will meet regularly to review and assess progress on the actions identified and will report on same in each of the Office’s Annual Report.
Objective | Task | Responsible | Suggested Actions | Status | |
Accessible workplace | 1) Make sure staff are fully aware of the accessible features of our new Office. | Corporate Services/QSEC/ | Publish and keep up to date information on the intranet regarding: | ||
Disability Liaison Officer | Hearing loop | ||||
Disability friendly toilets | |||||
Assistive technologies available | |||||
Needs assessments available | |||||
Access officer and disability liaison officer | |||||
2) Ensure relevant staff know how to use the hearing loop and the location of disabled toilets. | Information/training provided to front of house staff and to other staff as required. | ||||
Access officer and disability liaison officer? | |||||
3) Make available and promote appropriate services for the use of Irish Sign Language (ISL) | Identify appropriate ISL translation services which can be employed when required | ||||
Scope out additional ISL services available (on-demand interpretation app) | |||||
Draft internal policies and procedures for use of ISL in the office | |||||
Publish information on websites on how members of the public can avail of ISL services and train staff as appropriate | |||||
Accessible communications | 4) Using feedback from the National Disability Authority (NDA)’s review of the Ombudsman’s website, update the website to make it more accessible to users. | Access officer and QSEC | Update websites to ensure a high degree of accessibility in line with NDA’s recommendations. | Ongoing in relation to Office of the Ombudsman website. | |
Reminder to staff re requirements of S27 and inclusion of same in office procurement guidelines | |||||
Access Officer / Procurement Officer | |||||
Anonymous survey of service users | |||||
QSEC | |||||
Accessible outreach | 8) Develop OIC outreach | QSEC and OIC | |||
9) Identify actions that might help to identify sectors of the community the Ombudsman Office may not be reaching | QSEC | Reach out to complainants by email to ask them if they might complete a short anonymous survey. | |||
Greater engagement with CICs re their own stats/knowledge | |||||
Gather knowledge from our own staff re the sectors we are/may not be reaching | |||||
Consider the possibility of engaging a professional market research company to carry out a more in-depth analysis of those we are and aren’t reaching | |||||
Identify other ways of advertising outreach in order to reach a wider audience (e.g.s Ombudsman workshops with NGOs working with marginalised communities) | |||||
Decisions which respect human rights and equality | 10) Implement a human rights perspective to cases and promoting the public sector duty as part of good public administration | Senior management / Ombudsman / PSD Committee / sub-Committee | Establish sub-committee of PSD Committee to examine the issues. | Sub group established. | |
Develop guidance and training for Ombudsman staff on examining complaints with a human rights lens | |||||
A workplace which respect human rights and equality | 11) Review and further define the role of the EDI Officer within the Office. | Equality and Diversity Officer / HR / PSD Committee | Examine EDI role in other offices; agree role with PSD Committee/HR | Complete | |
HR / PSD Committee | |||||
12) Up date human rights training for all staff | All office staff to complete the revised IHREC PSD training module through One Learning | ||||
Put together a series of ‘lunch and learn’ events for staff on a variety of human rights and equality related topics | |||||
Feedback from staff re student experience of transition year programme. | |||||
HR / PSD Committee | Consider outreach to Deis schools to participate in TY programme | ||||
13) Review and update transition year policy and programme | Consider partnering with DoJ internship programme which to facilitate work experience for members of the Travelling/ Roma Community | ||||
Consider work placements/internships for other minority communities | |||||
Consider renewing participation in WAM programme | |||||
HR / PSD Committee | |||||
Consider participation in Oireachtas OWL programme | |||||
14) Identify internship and other work opportunities towards a more diverse workplace | |||||
Consider an anonymous online survey of staff. | |||||
HR / PSD Committee | |||||
15) Audit current diversity of Office staff. | |||||
Workplace wellness | Arrange follow-up support for staff who deal with distressed and suicidal customers | HR | Provide training to designated “guidance officers”. | ||
Re-constitute Health & Wellness and Social Committees | Seek members for both committees | ||||
Executive/HR | |||||
Ensure awareness of Child Safeguarding Statement for current and new staff?? | |||||
HR |