asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that representatives of 144 nations met at the World Conference of the United Nations for International Women's Year in the first major political conference on women's role in society; if suitable delegates were sent from this country; if so, their names; and, if not, why.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - IWY Conference.
31.
Presumably the Deputy is referring to the world conference of the International Women's Year which was held at Mexico city from 19th June-2nd July, 1975. Representatives of 133 states took part in this conference.
Ireland was represented at the conference by three delegates: Mrs. Hilda Tweedy, Miss Déirdre Murphy and Mrs. Carmel Heaney—who were nominated after consultations between my Department and the Department of Labour.
Mrs. Tweedy and Miss Murphy are members of the Women's Representative Committee which was established by my colleague, the Minister of Labour, as a consultative body on matters of concern to women and their nomination to the delegation followed consultation between the Department of Labour and the committee. The delegation was led by Mrs. Tweedy who is a founder member of the Irish Housewifes' Association and is chairwoman of the Council for the status of Women.
Mrs. Heaney, who is the Acting Consul General of Ireland in Boston, was the nominee of my Department. She has served as a member of the Irish delegation to successive sessions of the UN General Assembly over a number of years. At the current session of the General Assembly she is again serving as Irish representative on the third committee which deals with social and humanitarian questions.