Launch of South Dublin County Development Board Equality Seminar

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07/12/2004

Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.

Mayor Robert Dowds will Launch South Dublin County Development Board Equality Seminar on Thursday 9th December at 9am in the Green Isle Hotel Clondalkin.

 

 

 

This seminar has been organised by South Dublin Social Inclusion Network and SDC Development Board to facilitate the implementation of the Cross-cutting theme ‘An Equitable Place’ contained in the County Strategy “South Dublin: A Place for People”. It comes as a response to a recognised need to promote greater awareness of equality and related issues.

 

The seminar will highlight the importance of equality policies in relation to the nine grounds as outlined in the equality legislation (Employment Equality Acts, 1998-2004 and Equal Status Acts, 2000-2004).  Furthermore, the day will showcase practical and realistic examples of how individuals and organisations can ensure equality outcomes for all, in their provision of services in an increasingly diverse society.

 

The objectives of the Seminar are to:

-         Provide a forum for discussion regarding  the promotion of Equality issues within the constituent agencies of South Dublin County Development Board (SDCDB);

-         Showcase / highlight the positive work (across the nine grounds) already happening throughout agencies within the County;

-         Promote greater awareness of the Equality legislation;

-         Explore the institutional processes that lead to discrimination;

-         Identify models of good practice for organisational equality policy and practice.

 

 

 

AGENDA

 

 

9.00:           Registration

 

9.20            Welcome and Introductions - Cllr Eamon Tuffy Chair, South Dublin County Development Board

 

9.25:           Opening Address - Cllr Robert Dowds – Mayor SDCC

 

Addresses

9.30            Niall Crowley - Chief Executive: The Equality Authority

 

10.00          Inez McCormack - Joint Chair North/South Health Partnership

 

10.30          Experiences of local Community Projects

 

Short presentations from three local projects highlighting work in the Community to promote Equality

 

11.00           Coffee Break

 

11.15           Participant Workshops

                   

12.30           Feedback

 

12.50          Closing remarks  - Chair of SDC Development Board

 

13.00           Lunch and close

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE OF OUR SPEAKERS

 

 

Naill Crowley:                     A View from the Equality Authority

 

Niall Crowley is the Chief Executive Officer of the Equality Authority since its establishment in 1999. Prior to this he worked in the community and voluntary sector on a wide range of equality issues. He has been a member of the National Economic and Social Forum (NESF) and the National Economic and Social Council (NESC).

 

 

Inez McCormack:             A National and International Perspective

 

Inez is currently Joint Chair of the North/South Health Service Partnership.  The purpose of the project is to promote good practice in equality and quality in delivery of health care through a model of collaborative partnership. She is an adviser to a joint employer/union international action research project based in New York and Belfast on how to increase quality and equality in delivery of health care. She initiated the Participation and Rights project when she was President of ICTU and is a member of the organising group. One purpose of this rights based project is to enable participation by affected groups in the shaping of access, delivery and accountability of public services by application of international rights standards.

 

Inez serves as adviser to a wide range of voluntary, community and human rights organisations including the Northern Ireland Council of Ethnic Minorities, ex-prisoner organisations from both main communities in Northern Ireland, and also the Amnesty International advisory group on the campaign on violence against women. She is a member of an international coalition of women labour and human rights leaders that is connecting and supporting campaigns on behalf of most marginalized women workers.

 

Inez is a founder member of the Board of Inter-trade Ireland.  She is a former Regional Secretary of Unison’, the public service union, and was the first woman President of ICTU from 1999-2001. She was a founder member of the Equal Opportunities and Fair Employment Agencies and served as Deputy Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission for ten years. She is a former member of the NI Human Rights Commission and was awarded an honorary doctorate by Queens University for her services to human rights and the community. She has also received a number of international and national awards, including the Eleanor Roosevelt Award from the City of New York, the Aisling Community Award and the Inclusive Ireland Award.  She is also a writer and broadcaster and has contributed to a wide range of publications and television documentaries

 

“Achieving equality in Society is fundamental to the principles established in the County Strategy: “A Place for People”. An important step in working for greater equality will be to enhance the capacity of each sector to address equality issues, both within their own organisations and with the communities they serve. SDC Development Board will seek to ensure that service delivery in the county is based upon equality principles and that organisations are encouraged to assist in driving the equality agenda.”

 

South Dublin County Development Board

South Dublin: A Place for People