16 April 2025
This assessment is prepared in accordance with Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014.
As set out in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for 2024-2026, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is committed to encouraging a culture of inclusion, fairness and respect for all staff and customers of the Department. We want to ensure that that staff are empowered to achieve to their full potential, and that access to services, opportunities, and career development is available on an equal footing to everyone.
Under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 there is an obligation on public bodies to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of their employees and their service users. This obligation is known as the Public Sector Duty.
To fulfil this duty, public bodies must:
- assess the human rights and equality issues it believes are relevant to its functions
- address these issues and describe how it plans to address these issues in its strategic plan
- report on developments and progress in the annual report
The first step for public bodies to meet their obligations under the duty is to assess any human rights and equality issues for people who use its service and its staff.
This assessment is prepared in accordance with Section 42 of the 2014 Act and considers the equality and human rights issues of relevance to the staff and service users of the department and its offices.
Workplace Relations Commission
Brief Description of Work The main functions of the WRC are to:
- promote the improvement of workplace relations, and the maintenance of good workplace relations through its Conciliation, Facilitation and Mediation Service; promote and encourage compliance with relevant employment legislation.
- adjudicate on first instance complaints submitted to the WRC.
- provide guidance in relation to compliance with Codes of Practice.
- conduct reviews of and monitor developments in workplace relations generally.
- conduct or commission relevant research and provide advice, information and the findings of research to Joint Labour Committees and Joint Industrial Councils.
- advise the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in relation to the application of, and compliance with, relevant legislation, and to
- provide information to the public in relation to employment legislation (other than the Employment Equality Act).
Please find a link below to both the English and Irish versions of the assessment.
Public Service Duty - Equality and Human Rights Assessment 2025
Dualgas na hEarnála Poiblí - Measúnú Comhionannais agus Cearta Daonna 2025