Background
This Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) relates to the draft Irish Language Policy of Belfast City Council (‘the Council’) and is an outworking of the Council’s Language Strategy as adopted in 2018.
Section 75
The EQIA is being carried out in accordance with Belfast City Council’s (the Council’s) statutory duties under Section 75 and Schedule 9 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. Section 75 requires the Council, in carrying out its functions in Northern Ireland, to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity:
between persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation;
- between men and women generally;
- between persons with a disability and persons without; and
- between persons with dependants and persons without.
Without prejudice to these obligations, the Council is also required to have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious beliefs, political opinion or racial group.
Schedule 9 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (‘the 1998 Act’) sets out the detailed procedure for the implementation of these duties, including the conduct of screening exercises and EQIAs of policies.
When undertaking an EQIA, the Council’s Equality Scheme commits to following the guidance issued by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. This guidance recommends that there should be seven steps in the EQIA process [1]:
- Step 1: Definition of the aims of the policy
- Step 2: Consideration of available data and research
- Step 3: Assessment of impact
- Step 4: Consideration of measures to mitigate
- Step 5: Formal consultation
- Step 6: Decision and publication of the results of the EQIA
- Step 7: Monitoring for adverse impact
This Draft EQIA Consultation Report sets out the findings of the first four steps of the EQIA process. Following the period of consultation, any feedback obtained will be reflected on by the Council and incorporated into a Final EQIA Decision Report.
[1] - Practical Guidance on Equality Impact Assessment, ECNI 2004
