20th IUA HR Conference

What to expect

In this session, we will discuss what HR Analytics is and how it can support the HR decision-making process. We will focus on how to develop an HR Analytics capability generally and in the university sector in particular.

About the speaker

Maria is Assistant Professor of Human Resource Management in the UCD College of Business and works in the Human Resource Management and Employment Relations Subject Area since 2015. She holds a PhD in Management and an MSc in International Management and Global Business from the University of Limerick. Her core research and teaching focus on HR Analytics, international HRM, and industrial relations in multinational companies (MNCs). She is Academic Lead for the HR Analytics Think Tank.

What to Expect

Equality, diversity and inclusion is a critical priority for Universities and organisations generally. Whilst considerable progress has been made in recent years in the area of EDI, there is still some way to go in order to ensure sustainable cultural change. Join Kara McGann, Head of Social Policy, IBEC and Margaret Gribben, Head of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion in Irish Life to hear about innovative EDI policies and practices, to be aware of the tools and supports available to us and to reflect on upcoming legislation that will impact on our activities so that we all can take positive steps towards cultivating a more diverse and inclusive workplace culture.

Kara will provide a helicopter view of EDI priorities and relevant legislation including the gender pay gap and gender quotas, domestic violence and bystander interventions and a range of other topics. She will also share information on tools and resources to support practitioners and discussion next steps for those working to advance a culture of EDI in their institution.

Margaret will share information and learning on the implementation of Irish Life’s comprehensive and inspiring Life Matters programme covering Carers, Breastfeeding, Menopause, Fertility Treatment and more. She will also discuss the work they have embarked on in relation to domestic violence, pregnancy loss and surrogacy leave.

This session will be moderated by Marcellina Fogarty.

About the speakers

Kara McGann, Head of Social Policy, Ibec - Head of Social Policy acts as strategic advisor and support on diversity and inclusion, skills and labour market policy and practices to Ibec member organisations. Role includes the development of tools and guidelines, lobbying and developing policy positions at a national and European level. Board member of Skillnets, member of the Governing Authority, DCU and Chair of the Joint Equality Council at ESB. An organisational psychologist and practicing psychotherapist, formerly HR manager in industry with lecturing experience at undergraduate, postgraduate and executive level.

Marcellina Fogarty, UCD - Marcellina is the Strategic EDI Manager in UCD with over 20 years’ experience working in HR and 7 years of that period working in equality, diversity and inclusion in UCD. Marcellina heads up the EDI Unit with a team of 8 people in total leading on a range of initiatives across the equality grounds and includes specialists in the area of Gender Equality/Athena SWAN, Dignity and Respect, EDI Training and Awareness raising and EDI Data. Marcellina is responsible for leading out on the implementation of the University EDI Strategy and institutional Gender Equality Action Plan and managing the work of the University EDI Group.

What to expect

Kevin Langford, Louise O’Byrne and Séamus Given from Arthur Cox  will share some valuable and practical insights with delegates on the ever-changing landscape of litigation before the specialist courts and tribunal.

The judgement of the Supreme Court in Zalewski v. Adjudication Officer and WRC, Ireland and the Attorney General [2021] IESC 24 has made a number of changes to the procedures at the WRC, namely that’s hearings must now operate on the basis that they are open to the public and that evidence is given under oath.

This change reflects significant changes for HR and ER practitioners in preparing and representing cases at the WRC. Arthur Cox will be delivering a session on the industrial relations landscape post Zalewski v An Adjudicator and other notable landmark cases. This session will primarily focus on practical takeaways on how to prepare for adjudication cases.

From Arthur Cox

Kevin Langford, Partner and Head of Employment ((opens in a new window)Kevin Langford - Arthur Cox LLP)

Louise O’Byrne, Partner, Employment ((opens in a new window)Louise O'Byrne - Arthur Cox LLP)

Séamus Given, Partner, Employment ((opens in a new window)Séamus Given - Arthur Cox LLP)

From UCD

Karen Conway, Senior Employee Relations Specialist: Karen joined UCD in 2019 as a part of the Employee Relations team. Prior to joining UCD, Karen worked as a Senior HR Consultant supporting small to medium sized organisations with informal and formal dispute resolutions.

What to expect

The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 introduced the legislative basis for gender pay gap reporting in Ireland. The Act requires organisations to report on their hourly gender pay gap across a range of metrics. Join our discussion on the gender pay gap legislation and solutions to help support the reporting requirements of your organisation.  

From MakoData

Dylan Mehigan, Head of Solutions and Services- Dylan Mehigan is the Head of Solutions and Services at MakoData, a HR Analytics solutions provider that works primarily with organisations that use the CoreHR/PeopleXD platform. 

Dylan and his team worked with over 40 organisations in 2022 to assist them with the calculation and analysis of their Gender Pay Gap metrics, including a number of Universities and Higher Education Institutes.

From UCD

Tom Costelloe, Project Officer - Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:  Following Analyst roles with Microsoft and Apple, Tom joined the UCD team and has been involved in numerous EDI data projects such as the enhancement of the Gender Analytics dashboard which supports colleges and schools with their Athena SWAN applications. The development and rollout of the employee self service diversity screen which allows employees to update and input their diversity characteristics across the equality grounds.

A speaker at previous data-focussed events, Tom is also Chair of the first ever IUA EDI data practitioners network.

What to expect

From advertising and documentation to recruitment, are you meeting your obligations?

Páidí Ó Lionáird, Communications Manager, Office of the Irish Language Commissioner

An Coimisinéir Teanga which was established in 2004, functions as an ombudsman service and compliance agency in relation to state services through Irish.

Clár Ní Bhuachalla, Director, Gaeltacht UCD, UCD Global Centre for Irish Language and Culture

Clár Ní Bhuachalla leads Gaeltacht UCD in the promotion of the Irish language and its associated culture globally. She has over 20 years experience in the design and delivery of a variety of Irish language projects including the facilitation of compliance with Irish language legislation in UCD. She holds an honours degree in Modern Irish and Germanic studies, a Higher Diploma in Education, and an MA in European and Regional Minority Cultures.

What does the legislation require?

Among the principal targets of the Official Languages (Amended) Act 2021, is to achieve proficiency in Irish among 20% of staff recruited to public bodies by 2030. As well as that, all public bodies, irrespective of their location, must provide Irish language services in all Gaeltacht areas, by a date to be specified by the Minister.

Other enhanced provisions include:

• Public bodies will be obliged to record the correct form of a person’s name (including the patronymic or matronymic form of the name), address or title (including the option to use no title) in the Irish language
• Public Bodies will also be required to ensure that their information and communications systems, and any other systems can facilitate the use of the length accent in Irish language text, e.g. the inclusion of the ‘síneadh fada’ (length accent) to people’s names – i.e. Seán as distinct from Sean.
• Any correspondence on social media that is initiated by a member of the public in Irish to a public body, must also be answered in Irish by the public body.
• All marketing material distributed by public bodies must be in both Official Languages.
• Language Standards will be devised to replace Language Schemes. Standards for public bodies will vary dependent on the level of public-facing contact bodies have. Language standards will specify the services that public bodies must deliver in addition to the language proficiency level required for the staff members delivering the services.

The first provision to have been enacted requires public bodies to:

• Place at least 20% of their annual advertising through the medium of Irish

and

• At least 5% of all public bodies annual advertising budget must be spent on Irish language advertising, placed with Irish language media.

This provision came into being on October 10th 2022. Monitoring of these provisions will take place over the calendar year of 2023 which will culminate in the first audit to be published in late Spring/Early Summer 2024.