Re-organisation of Government Departments and the transfer of Disability / Equality remit
In May of this year, the Government declared that they will be updating, transferring some of the key functions and renaming some of their fourteen departments. The transfer of department functions is made under the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939.
In particular interest to the disability sector is the transfer of the disability and equality remit to the newly named “Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs” formerly known as the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
This newly structured department will be responsible for areas such as: social inclusion policy and family policy formerly of the Department of Social and Family Affairs and equality, disability, integration and human rights formerly of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
A number of agencies such as the ‘Equality Authority’ and the ‘National Disability Authority’ will now be under the remit of the new Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs and as part of the restructure the Disability Equality Unit in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform will be transferring to the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs.
