Equality Authority Strategy
In response to the invitations for Submissions on the Equality Authority Strategy a number of observations from the Comhairle Executive are set out below.
It is important that all agencies promoting equality, whether in a specialist sense or in the broader policy context, should operate broadly within the same parameters of understanding, definition and language. It is also important that the respective and specific roles of each statutory agency involved in the general area of promoting equality and tackling discrimination should be clearly stated in order to allay possible public concerns about duplication of functions. There seems to be some public confusion about the overlapping areas of responsibility of agencies, particularly in the area of disability. In this regard, it is necessary that the functions and responsibilities of the Equality Authority are set out and developed in a manner which clearly complements the functions and responsibilities of the National Disability Authority. The respective roles of the Equality Authority and the Director of Equality Investigations also need to be enunciated.
A key function of Comhairle is the provision of independent information, advice and advocacy services so as to ensure that all members of the public can access social services and entitlements and exercise their civil and social rights. Promoting equal access to the broad range of social services is a strategic priority of the agency. Comhairle is currently carrying out research in order to identify and examine systems and models of advocacy which would be appropriate in carrying out its statutory remit of supporting the development of advocacy services, including those for people with disabilities. This is a specific area where we hope that it will be possible to explore areas of co-operation and joint working between our two agencies.
Comhairle has identified a number of deficiencies with regards to access to and availability of information and social services which seriously limit the full participation in society of marginalised groups. These include the following:
- Despite the various representative and integrating mechanisms introduced in recent years, the fact remains that the major influence in policy formation is still exerted by the more powerful interest groups in society. The empowerment of individual citizens requires that they are actively involved in the decision making process, in particular in the decisions which directly affect them. While there is no doubt that there is now greater scope for citizens to be involved in this process through various forums and consultative processes, the input from those on the margins is still far from sufficient. Individual citizens at the periphery exert little influence. Additional mechanisms are required to ensure that citizens have greater control over decisions that affect their lives.
- Research continues to show that particular groups in society do not have equality of access to social services and related information because of physical, attitudinal, psychological, educational, linguistic, socio-economic, cultural and technological factors. These underlying barriers are exacerbated by the shortage of facilities to adequately meet the individual needs of a wide range of people with various service and support needs including, lack of adequate transport (e.g. older people), lack of physical access to buildings and absence of basic audio and visual aids (e.g. people with disabilities) and inadequate housing accommodation.
- While there is a clear need for greater accessibility of information, it is also the case that information provision is only meaningful to the extent that the services available are adequate to meet citizens' needs. Feedback from Citizens Information Centres (CICs) indicates a range of areas where the issue is not the lack of information but the absence of access to adequate and appropriate services. Comhairle is currently carrying out a study on Access to Information and Services: The Experience and Perspectives of People with Disabilities, the findings of which should be available in the Autumn.
- There continues to be a mismatch between general welfare provision policy and the ability of individual citizens, particularly those on the margins, to access services appropriate to their needs. Significant differences based on factors such as 'ability/disability', class, age, gender and geographical location persist.
- While a number of strategic initiatives have been introduced in recent years and while some problems have been addressed, some citizens seeking information and social services continue to experience major problems because of the absence of appropriate integration and co-ordination mechanisms between the various Government departments and statutory agencies which administer services. There is a significant gap between citizens who experience needs and problems as a whole and the wide and disparate range of Government services and myriad of provisions. This problem is evidently more acute for people whose access to services has already been impaired by educational, attitudinal and cultural factors.
- Ireland continues to have relatively low levels of
social spending resulting in a situation, where despite
growing prosperity, there are ongoing and emerging
significant endemic social problems, for example:
- low levels of educational achievement (associated with early school leaving and continuing low rates of participation in third-level education) by people in the lower socio- economic groups;
- high levels of functional illiteracy;
- huge increases in local authority housing lists;
- lack of affordable childcare;
- dearth of residential care facilities (long-term and respite) for people with disabilities;
- inadequate support services for family carers;
- an ongoing problem of homelessness;
- long waiting lists for public hospital services;Ø lack of residential rehabilitative accommodation for problem children and young people.
- There are significant gaps in the implementation of employment protection legislation, particularly for part-time and casual workers at the lower end of the earnings spectrum (See Comhairle Social Policy Report, Employment Rights, copy enclosed). This creates additional problems and difficulties for people on the margins.
- Principles of active citizenship, participation,
choice, voice and citizens' rights require that all
categories of people likely to be experiencing
discrimination on equality grounds be identified with a
view to raising public awareness and changing
legislation, enforcement procedures, policy development
and service delivery accordingly. Additional research
will be required for this purpose.
We hope that the above observations and comments will be of some assistance in the task of drawing up your Strategic Plan. The Equality Authority will evidently be working in collaboration with relevant statutory and voluntary/community agencies and Comhairle will be happy to liaise with the Authority as appropriate. Given that equality-related data will play an important role in shaping the equality agenda, we suggest that Citizens Information Centres may be an important source of data given that up to 400,000 citizens' queries on civil and social rights and entitlements are processed annually by the national network of CICs supported by Comhairle.
The attached document outlines the principles for service delivery which underpin Comhairle's Strategy.
We look forward to maintaining an effective and purposeful relationship with the Equality Authority to ensure that we add value to each other's work and avoid unnecessary duplication.
Principles for Service Delivery
The principles which inform Comhairle in the delivery of services to its customers are set out below. These principles underpin the work of the organisation as it develops services in accordance with its statutory functions. These principles serve as a reference point against which service development and implementation processes can be tested. In the context of these principles, the delivery of Comhairle services means services provided either directly, or indirectly (by contractual agreement with designated organisations), by Comhairle.
Equality
Comhairle is committed to equality and, in the particular context of service delivery, to the promotion of equality, inclusion, and the prohibition of all discrimination in the provision of its services so as to ensure equality of access.
Access
Equality of access to Comhairle services is an organisational priority. Access is understood in the broadest sense including physical access to buildings (environmental access). Particular attention will be paid to the discriminatory grounds as set out in the Equal Status legislation i.e. disability, gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, race and membership of the Traveller Community. In accordance with its statutory functions, Comhairle will assist individuals, in particular those with disabilities, in accessing their entitlements.
Mainstreaming
The principle of mainstreaming has informed the establishment of Comhairle, in particular with regard to the mainstreaming of services for people with disabilities, and will inform its approach to service delivery. Mainstreaming of services means that all people can access their needs without difficulty through generalist services as their particular needs are provided for within the general service. Comhairle recognises that the provision of services for all people will require that service providers have an increased awareness of and make provision for the needs of particular users including people with disabilities.
Customer Focus
Informing the development of Comhairle services will be the focus on the customer or end- user of services. Delivery mechanisms will, where possible, be tailored to user needs as identified in consultation with service users. As part of its customer focus approach, Comhairle will consult with users and potential users of its services and will develop feedback mechanisms.
Quality Service
Comhairle is committed to the development and delivery of services within a quality framework. Standards will be developed and applied to the delivery of all Comhairle services to its users. In the development of standards for service delivery, Comhairle will seek to ensure openness, accountability, transparency and value for money.
Promotion of Empowerment and Participation
The work of Comhairle will be informed by the principle that all people have a right to information on their rights and entitlements and that they should be supported and assisted to access this information and to access the relevant social services.
While acknowledging that the primary responsibility for provision of information in relation to its own services lies with the statutory service provider, Comhairle will provide for independent information advice and advocacy services.
In the provision of all its services, whether direct or indirect, Comhairle will endeavour to empower individuals in accessing their rights and entitlements by capacity building.
Influencing Policy
Comhairle will use feedback from users of Comhairle services within a pro-active approach, to inform government, policy makers and service providers, on social policy issues.
Partnership Approach
Comhairle will, where possible, promote partnership approaches to service provision and the integration of complimentary social services to ensure optimum access for all its customers. Comhairle will promote the avoidance of unnecessary duplication in the provision of information services and of social services generally.
