Consultation: Update of Northern Ireland Equality Scheme

As a UK-wide public authority operating in Northern Ireland, Ofcom is required to have a Northern Ireland Equality Scheme.

The scheme describes the arrangements that a public authority has in place to fulfil the duties imposed on it by Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998). These duties are: to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity; and regard to the desirability of promoting good relations.

Our Northern Ireland Equality Scheme has been revised and updated periodically, most recently in 2019. We have now conducted a 5-year review of our scheme and are consulting on the changes we propose to make to the scheme.

The changes relate to the additional duties and powers Ofcom has been given since 2019, most notably as the UK’s new Online Safety regulator. We also reflect changes to Ofcom’s senior management, governance structures and approach to Impact Assessments, and we also present a new Action Plan on which we are seeking people’s views.

The updated scheme continues to follow the model template provided by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and is presented in an accompanying document.

Responding to this consultation

Please submit responses using the response form no later than 5pm on 25 April 2025.