Council includes measures to ensure fairness
Selecting staff within the council is based on ‘merit and transparency’
The selection process for new staff within South Dublin County Council is “based on merit,” SDCC said in response to a councillor who questioned alleged “preferential treatment” for non-nationals.
At the July’s council meeting last week, Independent Ireland councillor, Linda De Courcy, asked SDCC whether their hiring policy aligns with the Corporate Plan regarding “race” – with the term race encompassing “colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origins,” and to clarify whether the council uses quotas or gives preferential treatment for non-Irish citizens over nationals in recruitment.
“The council’s commitment to equality means that no candidate is given preferential treatment based on their race, nationality, or ethnic origin,” said SDCC in its response, saying that their recruitment policy is based on principles such as probity, merit, best practice, consistency and transparency instead.
“The goal is to select the best candidate for the position while ensuring that the process is fair and transparent.
“SDCC does not implement quotas or preferential treatment for non-nationals over nationals. Instead, the focus is on ensuring that all candidates are assessed based on their qualifications, experience, and suitability for the role.
“The council endeavours to ensure that the selection process does not provide unjustifiable advantage or disadvantage to any particular candidate or group of candidates.”
SDCC renewed its commitment to promoting equality and the respect of human rights across all its functions, including its hiring policies.
“As set out in the Corporate Plan 2025-2029 and the Equality and Human Rights Framework, SDCC aims to ensure that its recruitment processes are fair, transparent, and inclusive
. . . and to foster an inclusive work environment where all employees, regardless of background, can thrive,” it said.
“This commitment is reflected in the Strategic Workforce Plan 2025–2029 (SWFP), which is designed to align with the Corporate Plan objectives. The SWFP includes measures to engage with diverse communities and ensure that the workforce reflects the diversity of the communities that we serve.”
The Council reminded that as a local authority, they are also “legally obligated” to promote equality and prevent discrimination under the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
