COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, June 08, 2015

MOTION NO.22

MOTION: Councillor G. Kenny

That this elected body calls on all corporate entities in this county to adhere to their responsibility in upholding human rights and international law in their corporate governance. Furthermore if this motion is passed by the elected members where international law is seemed to be non adhered to we the elected body shall ask for clarification regarding ethical guidelines and corporate responsibility.

REPORT:

REPORT:

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 provides for the merger of the Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission into a single body. It also requires all public bodies to have regard to human rights and equality in the performance of its functions. This includes a requirement that the public body set out “in its strategic plan (howsoever described) an assessment of the human rights and equality issues it believes to be relevant to the functions and purpose of the body and the policies, plans and actions in place or proposed to be put in place to address those issues. Also, it shall “report in a manner that is accessible to the public on developments and achievements in that regard in its annual report (howsoever described)”.

In light of the preparation of Corporate Plans currently underway across the local government sector, the Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Designate) has written to all local authorities requesting that reference be made to the new statutory duty in the Corporate Plan, along with a commitment to developing a framework to implement this new duty as soon as possible in the period of the plan, in consultation with the Commission.

This will further reinforce South Dublin County Council’s existing range of Equality and Social Inclusion policies and programmes, including the recently adopted ‘Diversity Champion’ role in partnership with GLEN.

The act also amends the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003, to give effect to certain provisions of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.