The Local Economic & Community Plan
Local authorities are in the process of developing a new Local Economic & Community Plan (LECP). This will set out the high level economic and community objectives for the period 2022-2028. The process will include consultations with and proposals from the community sector and the Public Participation Network (PPN).
The Public Sector Duty
The Public Sector Duty is a statutory obligation on public bodies requiring them in the performance of their functions, to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality and protect human rights of staff and people availing of their services.
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014: Section 42(2) requires public bodies to assess, address and report on progress in relation to equality and human rights in their strategic plan and annual reports in a manner that is accessible to the public.
The Opportunity
The Public Sector Duty has the potential to advance many issues which are a concern for community organisations, especially for those community groups focused on poverty, discrimination and social exclusion, which are in affect human rights issues.
Kildare County Council are already undertaking work to implement the Public Sector Duty by identifying the main human rights and equality issues in the county. This work is based on national and European data sources, and on national policy documents compiled to address identified inequalities, such as the National Traveller & Roma Inclusion Strategy and the Roadmap for Social Inclusion. However, community organisations are likely to have a close knowledge of human rights and equality issues within the county, as well as having particular insights into the types of objectives and strategies which would be most effective in addressing these issues.
This meeting will be an opportunity to gain and share knowledge on the LECP and the PSD and to consider how best the PPN can influence the LECP in setting its goals and strategies.
