asked the Minister for Labour the action he intends to take on the Council of the European Communities recommendation of 13 December 1984, on the promotion of positive action for women.
Written Answers. - Equal Opportunity Programme.
662.
On the basis that existing legal provisions on equal treatment, which are designed to afford rights to individuals, are inadequate for the elimination of all existing inequalities, this Council recommendation calls for parallel action to be taken by governments, both sides of industry and other bodies concerned, to counteract the prejudical effects on women in employment which arise from social attitudes, behaviour and structures. Of the specific recommendations included in the Council recommendation, those listed at (a) to (e) below fall, particularly, within my sphere of responsibility:
(a) informing and increasing the awareness of both the general public and the working world of the need to promote equality of opportunity for working women.
(b) qualitative and quantitive studies and analyses of the position of women on the labour market.
Implementation of these recommendations would come within the remit of the Employment Equality Agency which has the general statutory functions of working towards the elimination of discrimintion in relation to employment and promoting equality of opportunity. However, I accept that there are limitations on the agency's capacity to undertake such desirable activities due to constraints on public finances.
(c) measures necessary to ensure that placement, guidance and counselling services have sufficient skilled personnel to provide a service based on the necessary expertise in the special problems of unemployed women.
The National Manpower Service is in a position to provide the necessary services, and to advise on the special problems of unemployed women.
(d) diversification of vocational choice, and more relevant vocational skills, particularly through vocational training, including the implementation of supporting measures and suitable teaching methods.
All AnCO training courses are open equally to men and women. In addition, the authority runs special courses for women in areas of non-traditional employment for them.
(e) to make efforts also in the public sector to promote equal opportunities which might serve as an example, particularly in those fields where new information technologies are being used or developed.
On 15 November 1984 the Government approved my proposals for:
the adoption by the Government of a statement of policy on equality of opportunity between men and women in employment and a formal approach to the Board of Directors of each State-sponsored body by the Minister of the parent Department requesting adherence to the Government's policy statement, urging them to take certain measures for its implementation, and asking that information on progress made be recounted in annual reports, where these are produced; elsewhere, progress made to be shown by way of an annual statement to the Minister of the parent Department and to the Minister for Labour.
On 23 November 1984 I asked all Government Departments to convey the details of the Government's decision to the State-sponsored bodies operating under their aegis. I am hopeful that, building on the experience gained in the public sector with equal opportunity programmes, similar arrangements will be introduced in the private sector and I shall take what steps I can to encourage both sides of industry in this respect, in keeping with the Council recommendation.
In addition, in order to further an equal opportunity programme in my own Department, I have initiated an exercise to identify the constraints on the achievement of equal opportunity for women in the Department, and to design mechanisms to eliminate such constraints. When the exercise has progressed further, I propose to take up with the Minister for the Public Service the question of introducing similar arrangements in other Departments.