Policy information
Equality and Integration
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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The policy areas for the equality, integration and international protection division develop policy focussed on supporting the rights and aspirations of some of the most vulnerable groups in society, with a particular focus on intervention and proactive support.
Gender Pay Gap
The gender pay gap is the difference in the average hourly wage of men and women across a workforce. The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 requires organisations with over 150 employees to report on their hourly gender pay gap across a range of metrics. More information is available at: How to report on the Gender Pay Gap
The National Strategy for Women and Girls
The National Strategy for Women and Girls serves as the framework through which the Government pursues actions to advance gender equality. The most recent iteration covered the period 2017-2020 with a year extension to account for the disruptive impact of the COVID-19 emergency. To prepare for the next National Strategy, the Department is undertaking a public consultation with key stakeholders and members of the general public. An online survey will run until October 14th after which a series of in-person consultations will be held. The feedback from these will be developed into a report which will inform the development of the next National Strategy for Women and Girls.
More information is available at: Gender Equality - National Policies and Strategies
More information about Gender Equality available here: Gender Equality
DCEDIY Integration Event – Croke Park
On 22 June 2023, Joe O’Brien, Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, invited community organisations from across the country to come together at an integration event to explore best practice in integration, discuss challenges, and showcase their work.
This event was an opportunity to celebrate the work community organisations undertake to make Ireland a more inclusive nation. This video is intended to give a snapshot of some of the great community integration initiatives that these organisations are involved in and presented on the day.
It highlights the variety of work underway, to inform you of the supports available in your area and encourage you to get involved.
Thank you to all groups who participated at the event, and for all of their amazing work across the country.
International Protection Accommodation & Anti-Racism Policy Unit
Community Integration Initiatives Across Ireland
Community Integration Initiatives Across Ireland - Online Booklet
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Under EU and International Law, Ireland is obliged to examine the claim of any person who arrives into the country and claims International Protection. International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) is responsible for the provision of accommodation and related services to people in the International Protection (‘asylum’) process.
While that claim is being examined by the Department of Justice, IPAS offers accommodation and related services to International Protection applicants who wish to accept the offer of accommodation from the Irish State.
Some International Protection applicants may also choose to live with family or friends already living in the community or can source and provide for their own accommodation.
The International Protection Support Service is responsible for implementation of the new model of accommodation for International Protection applicants as set out in 'A White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service'.
This new model will be focused on encouraging Integration from day one and supporting applicants to live independently. This new service will be implemented on a phased basis between the years 2021 and 2024.
As part of the commitments established in the White Paper on Ending Direct Provision, the International Protection Support Services (IPSS) Transition Team has been tasked with developing an information hub for International Protection applicants. The International Protection Support Services Information Hub will function as a useful resource for applicants, facilitating their acclimation to life in Ireland through the provision of practical information and guidance on navigating the asylum process.
Established in 2015 in response to the humanitarian crisis that developed in Southern Europe as a consequence of forced displacement from areas of conflict in the Middle East and Africa. More than 1,900 refugees arrived on resettlement under that programme between 2015 and 2019.
In December 2019, the Irish government committed to a new refugee protection programme, to expand its community sponsorship programme and to increase its annual resettlement quota by 50 each year over the next four years: 650 in 2020, 700 in 2021, 750 in 2022 and 800 in 2023.
View the full Irish Refugee Protection Programme information.
The current Programme for Government committed to publishing a new National Action Plan Against Racism. The National Action Plan Against Racism was launched on 21 March 2023 and will be implemented during the five-year period of 2023-2027.
The NAPAR is part of Ireland’s response to the UN’s call for global action to eliminate racism, and part of the wider effort to tackle racism and its impacts across the European Union ( EU Anti-racism Action Plan 2020-2025 ) The Plan acknowledges the intersectionality between racism and all other forms of oppression, including oppression experienced by people based on gender, socio-economic circumstances, disability, sexuality, religious beliefs, and gender identity. The Plan is rooted in a commitment to human rights values, democracy, and the rule of law.
On July 2nd 2024 Dr Ebun Joseph was appointed as the National Action Plan Against Racism Special Rapporteur . In her role as Special Rapporteur, Dr Joseph will monitor progress towards the objectives of the NAPAR. DCEDIY has also established an expert Advisory Committee . Its membership includes individuals with lived experience of racism and representative organisations, and will be chaired by the Special Rapporteur.
The NAPAR First Implementation Report was presented to the newly appointed Special Rapporteur and the Minister in July 2024.
A key action of the NAPAR is the establishment of the Ireland Against Racism Fund (IARF).The purpose of the funding scheme is to support national and local initiatives that aim to combat racism and foster racial equality and community cohesion.
Anti-Racism Policy is also responsible for reporting on Ireland’s anti-racism measures to international human rights bodies, including the UN and the Council of Europe.
Funds Administration
The Funds Administration team ensures that Grant Agreements are in place for each funded project and that appropriate Governance Compliance and Reporting frameworks are in place. The team ensures that the all payments are made in a timely and accurate manner and that appropriate monitoring and evaluation processes are in place.
The team provide a centralised operational and governance resource where national EU Funds are used to support implementation of the policies of the Equality Division. This team is also the Responsible Authority (or Managing Authority) for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) in Ireland and has additional responsibilities in this regard.
Funds Administration currently provides assistance in the following business areas relating to the management of grants relating to National and EU Funding programmes:
- Inclusion
- Equality (Traveller and Roma initiatives)
- Gender Equality
- Integration Service Delivery
- Migrant Integration
- LGBTI+
The National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy 2017 – 2021 (NTRIS) was published on 13 June 2017. The Strategy contains a number of key commitments in areas such as Education, Health, Accommodation and Employment to help improve the lives of Travellers and Roma. The review of NTRIS is currently underway and work has commenced on the development of a successor strategy.
As part of its work with International Bodies to progress Traveller and Roma inclusion, Ireland periodically reports under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM), ratified in May 1999. The Convention is a multilateral treaty of the Council of Europe, devoted to the protection of persons belonging to national minorities. Under the FCNM, Ireland submits periodic reports describing the measures implemented over the previous five years, with reference to the Council of Europe’s recommendations, and covering matters pertaining to the Traveller and Roma communities.
Ireland submitted its Fifth State Report to the Council of Europe on 12 July 2023. This report has been prepared by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, in consultation with all other relevant Departments. In addition, Traveller and Roma representative organisations, and interested parties, were invited to submit their observations in writing, in response to the draft report. The comments and feedback received were taken into account when compiling the final draft, and the full content of the submissions is included as an Appendix to the State Report, which is available here and below.
As part of the reporting cycle, a delegation of the FCNM Advisory Committee will conduct a monitoring visit to Ireland from 18 to 22 September 2023 to follow up on the Fifth State Report submitted on 12 July 2023.
The LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021 was published on 28 November 2019 and complements the LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy 2018-2020 published in June 2018.
The Strategy contains over 100 actions that are aimed at promoting inclusion, protecting rights and improving the quality of life and wellbeing of LGBTI+ people. It reflects the commitment in the Programme for Government to create an equal, fair and inclusive society for all, target discrimination and enable LGBTI+ people to overcome the barriers they face.
- LGBTI National Youth Strategy Implementation Report 2018 - 2021
- Process review of the LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy 2018-2020
- Report on the Review of the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy May 2024
- Report of the Consultations Undertaken to Inform the Development of the Second National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy
- Summary Report of the Consultations Undertaken to Inform the Development of the Second National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy
- Report on the Consultation Undertaken with Young People to Inform the Successor to the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy
The Report of the Inter-departmental Committee (The McAleese Report) to establish the facts of State involvement with Magdalen Laundries was published in 2013. Following that report, the Government asked Mr. Justice John Quirke to devise a scheme to address the needs of the women who were admitted to and worked in the Magdalen institutions. Justice Quirke submitted his report to Government in June, 2013 – The Magdalen Commission Report (otherwise known as the Quirke Report).
The Government accepted in principle all of the recommendations in the Quirke Report. These recommendations included the payment of an ex-gratia lump sum to each eligible woman. The report sets out the amounts which may be paid, which vary between €11,500 and €100,000.
The Government later decided to add two further institutions to the scheme - St Mary’s Domestic Training Centre, Stanhope Street; and the House of Mercy Domestic Training School, Summerhill, Wexford. For the purposes of the Ex Gratia Scheme, these twelve institutions are collectively called the ‘Magdalen institutions.’
By January 2022, €32.8m has been paid in awards to 814 applicants who qualified under the terms of the Scheme.
In 2017, The Ombudsman issued a report on the operation of the scheme and made a number of recommendations, all of which were accepted by Government. Arising from one of the Ombudsman’s recommendations, in May 2018 the Government decided to apply the scheme to women who worked in the laundries in the 12 institutions but who were resident in one of the 14 adjoining institutions. A complete list of the Magdalen institutions and the adjoining Institutions is set out in the table here.