Public Sector Duty at the National Gallery of Ireland

The National Gallery of Ireland is committed to fulfilling our obligations under the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty. As a public sector body, we strive to promote equality, protect human rights, and prevent discrimination in all aspects of our operations, ensuring an inclusive environment for our visitors, staff and stakeholders.

Understanding the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty

Under Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, all public bodies are legally obligated to:

• Assess: Identify human rights and equality issues that affect identified groups and are relevant to their functions.
• Address: Develop and implement policies and actions to address these equality and human rights issues.
• Report: Document progress and achievements on the identified issues in their annual reports.

The identified groups for the Duty are:

• those groups covered by the nine protected grounds under equality legislation: gender civil status; family status (including lone parents and carers); age; disability; sexual orientation; race; religion, and membership of the Traveller community;
• those at risk of or experiencing poverty, the ground of disadvantaged socio-economic status; and
• individual rights holders under the various international human rights instruments.

This Duty ensures that public bodies actively consider eliminating discrimination, promoting equality, and protecting human rights in their daily operations.

Our approach

At the Gallery, we take a values-led approach to implementing the Public Sector Duty (PSD), ensuring that equality and human rights are embedded in all aspects of our work. Our PSD values include:

• Dignity: Treating every individual with respect and recognising their inherent worth.
• Inclusivity: Enabling an environment where all people feel welcome regardless of their status or background.   
• Engagement: Engaging with diverse communities in our initiatives to ensure their voices are heard and valued. 
• Accessibility: Removing physical, structural, and emotional barriers to create an environment where everyone can fully participate.

These values guide our actions and decisions, ensuring that equality and human rights are at the forefront of our work.

In 2021, the Gallery initiated the implementation of the Public Sector Duty (PSD) by establishing a dedicated Working Group. This group conducted an assessment of equality and human rights issues and developed a draft Action Plan. However, due to resource constraints, the plan was never finalised.

To advance this work, the Gallery appointed its first Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Manager in October 2024. The EDI Manager is now leading a revitalised Working Group to build upon and expand previous efforts to implement the Duty.

We are also collaborating with an Equality and Human Rights consultancy to facilitate and support this process. The revitalised Working Group has undergone training and has begun work on:

• Developing an Equality and Human Rights Values Statement
• Conducting a further assessment of equality and human rights issues
• Creating a comprehensive implementation plan for the Duty

We anticipate publishing an updated PSD Implementation Plan by July 2025, which will guide the Gallery’s ongoing commitment to equality and human rights. The plan will be implemented through annual action plans, ensuring compliance with Sections 42(1) and 42(2) of the Act and alignment with the latest IHREC guidance.

Contact us

For queries related to the Gallery and the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty, please email: [email protected]