Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty

The Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty is a statutory obligation on public bodies to have regard to the need to:

• Eliminate discrimination
• Promote equality of opportunity and treatment for staff and service users
• Protect the human rights of members, staff, and service users

Our Values Statement

Galway County Council has developed an Equality and Human Rights Values Statement that defines the four core values guiding our commitment to this duty:

• Diversity
• Dignity
• Inclusion
• Participation

Annual Duty Action Plan 2025

We are committed to promoting equality and human rights in everything it does. This plan outlines how the Council will meet its legal duty under Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Act 2014.

What the Council Will Do

Each department in the Council will:

• Review and update policies and plans to ensure they promote equality and human rights.
• Carry out impact assessments to check how decisions affect different groups.
• Provide training for staff and councillors.
• Engage with communities to hear their views and include them in planning.

Examples of actions include:

• Reviewing the Child Protection Policy
• Developing a Homeless Action Plan
• Creating a Disability Strategy
• Conducting a diversity audit of library collections
• Improving online services and website accessibility

Monitoring and Reporting

• A Working Group will oversee the plan and support departments.
• Progress will be tracked and reported quarterly.
• An annual report will highlight achievements and areas for improvement.