Annual Report 2000.pdf (size 2.3 MB) - Equality Authority

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Building the organisation The Board Staffing In 2000 the Board of the Equality Authority met on nine occasions. This total includes two regional Board meetings, held in Cork and Galway. In September there was a joint board meeting of the Equality Authority and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. No changes in the membership of the Board occurred over the year. The membership of the Board's Finance and Legal Committees are listed in the Appendix. The approved staffing level for the Equality Authority is for 45 posts and this year was a significant one in terms of building up the staff complement towards that figure.The year saw an increase from 30 staff at the beginning of the year to 42 (including four job-sharers) at the end. Those figures do not, however, reflect the full extent of the staff changes: seven staff who left the Authority during the year had to be replaced. At the end of the year a total of five vacancies remained in the following grades: two at Principal Officer level and one vacancy at each of Solicitor, Assistant Principal and HEO level. A list of the current staff of the Authority is set out in the Organogram below. The Authority appreciates the assistance with filling vacancies received from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Civil Service Commission. Training and Development As a new organisation the Equality Authority is aware that its staff have Building the Organisation - Annual Report 2000 - The Equality Authority page 71
more extensive training needs than more established organisations.This is reflected in the staff training budget which represented 2.3 % of the pay budget.Although a training programme for staff has been progressing since the Authority was brought into operation, a more definitive assessment of staff training needs emerged. Consultants were engaged to carry out a training needs assessment during the year and a training programme on foot of the report was prepared.The key training themes covered included developing sensitivity to the types of discrimination prohibited by equality legislation and building knowledge of that legislation. IT training was an important focus of the training effort. Customer Service Action Plan One of the key elements of the work of the Equality Authority is its focus on the customer and this is reflected in the fact that the first publication produced by the Equality Authority was its Customer Service Action Plan. Once the plan was finalised, a dissemination strategy was developed and implemented during the year. One of the earliest activities under the Equality Authority's staff training programme was a customer service course which was attended by all staff. Freedom of Information The Freedom of Information Act applies to the Equality Authority by virtue of the Freedom of Information Act, 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations, 2000 (S.I. No. 67 of 2000).The Act asserts the right of members of the public to obtain access to official information to the greatest extent possible consistent with the public interest and the right to privacy of individuals. Under the Freedom of Information Act the Equality Authority is required to prepare and publish a book - known as a "Section 15 Reference Book" - containing a general description of the Authority's structure, organisation, functions, powers and duties together with a general description of the classes of records held, and particulars to facilitate the right of access to records.That task was completed during the year. Work commenced on the preparation of the book containing information on the Equality Authority's rules and practices as required by Section 16 of the 1997 Act. A total of five FOI requests were received and dealt with during the year. page 72 The Equality Authority - Annual Report 2000 - Building the Organisation
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The Equality Authority Annual Repor
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Contents 1. From the Chair page 2 2
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Kate Hayes Chair, Equality Authorit
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Board Membership of Board of Equali
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This report allows us an opportunit
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Mission The Equality Authority is c
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Key Objective 1 “We will promote
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Launch of the Equality Authority’
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(D) Exhibitions The Equality Author
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2. Developing Casework Activity (A)
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Guide to the Equal status Act 2000
Page 24 and 25: (D) Other Assistance The Equality A
Page 26 and 27: Parental Leave Enquiries Requests f
Page 28 and 29: Employment Equality Act Enquiries R
Page 30 and 31: The total number of enquiries under
Page 32 and 33: Grounds for Complaint : Access to E
Page 34 and 35: EEA Cases under the Disability Grou
Page 36 and 37: Geographical Breakdown Dublin 14 Le
Page 38 and 39: Geographical Breakdown Dublin 65 Le
Page 40 and 41: EEA Cases under the Race Ground. 15
Page 42 and 43: EEA Cases under the Sexual Orientat
Page 44 and 45: 14 Cases under the Equal Status Act
Page 46 and 47: Analysis - Enforcement underpinning
Page 48 and 49: Key Objective 2 “We will support
Page 50 and 51: The Equality Authority had discussi
Page 52 and 53: Launch of Anti- Racist Workplace We
Page 54 and 55: Family Friendly Workplace Day Launc
Page 56 and 57: Analysis - Partnership as a basis f
Page 58 and 59: Key Objective 3 “We will contribu
Page 60 and 61: progress in relation to equal oppor
Page 62 and 63: Support Pack on the Equality/Divers
Page 64 and 65: H) Women 2000: Gender Equality, Dev
Page 66 and 67: Key Objective 3 availability of pub
Page 68 and 69: Formal links were established with
Page 70 and 71: Mainstreaming is developing rapidly
Page 72 and 73: The work carried out during the yea
Page 76 and 77: Organogram Staff of the Equality Au
Page 78 and 79: Section 15 booklet Outlines how the
Page 80 and 81: Appendix 1 Membership of Committees
Page 82 and 83: European Union Advisory Committee o
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Annual Report 2000.pdf (size 2.3 MB) - Equality Authority

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