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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 16 Jun 1988

Vol. 382 No. 3

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Sexism Elimination.

46.

asked the Minister for Education the steps she has taken in 1988 to further her programme of eliminating sexism and sex stereotyping from the education system; and when she will issue her first six-monthly report on the measures taken in this area, as reported in the European Commission's publication Women of Europe February-March, 1988.

Many of the points in this were answered in reply to a question by Deputy De Rossa.

I am in close liaison with the working group which monitors progress and co-ordinates activities within my Department relating to equality of educational opportunity. In 1988 there are two main activities with a budget of £30,000 in this area. These are: an action research project designed to stimulate the interest and encourage the participation of girls in school activities related to the new technologies — this project is 50 per cent sponsored by the EC; and pilot intervention projects in physics and in chemistry which were initiated in 1985 continue to operate. These projects are designed to encourage more girls in the senior cycle to study these subjects. While they involved one region in 1985 it is expected that ten regions will be involved with effect from September next.

As indicated in Women of Europe, February-March 1988, p.23, all Departments will have to provide six-monthly reports to the Office of the Minister of State in the Taoiseach's Department. The first report is due in July 1988.

I would like to thank the Minister for her reply and to assure her of my goodwill in her efforts in this area. I raise all these questions at this time because I am aware that the Estimates discussions are beginning and I would ask the Minister to make a very strong effort to increase that budget in 1989. Arising from the answer I would like to ask some supplementary questions. Has the action research programme which is mentioned by the Minister begun already or is to begin in September 1988? I see that the pilot programmes are to begin from September 1988. Has the action research project begun, and how many people does it involve?

The action research project designed to stimulate interest and encourage the participation of girls in school activities related to the new technologies involves four schools representing the main kinds of second level schools, voluntary secondary, vocaional, community and comprehensive, and the project is 50 per cent sponsored by the EC?

Has it begun?

The planning for it has begun. I do not have information in regard to the numbers here but I will let the Deputy have it. It is planned that the action research project will develop similarly to the way physics and chemistry have expanded and developed. This is the path we also propose to follow in regard to the intervention for languages and the intervention for technology.

I understand then that both of those projects have not yet begun. I asked about the steps taken in 1988, so we are talking about steps that have not yet been taken in regard to the report that is to be published or to be given as a result of the decision, presumably by the Taoiseach, to instruct Ministers to give a six-monthly report on the elimination of discrimination against women in their Departments. In the publication which I quoted from, Women of Europe, it is certainly implied that those reports would be made public and that the public would be aware of what steps had been taken. Will the Minister be making her six-monthly report public or will it be a secret report? If it is not to be a public report will the Minister take steps to have this included in the next Women of Europe publication?

I am not very much into secret reports. The communication which we have received from Deputy Geoghegan-Quinn asked us to make the six-monthly report. I thought it was a very welcome development which shows the Government's commitment to the role of equality. This was not done by previous Governments. It is five months since the announcement and we will be compiling our report and issuing it as was wished to the Minister of State. What will then happen is a matter for further debate but I will certainly speak with the Minister of State on the matter to see in what format she intends to have them published.

I would like to ask the Minister could she tell the House whether it would be her wish and her view that such reports, which are of course extremely valuable and a very good initiative, should be published. I am sorry that I had to find it out in Women of Europe. I am sure it must have been announced somewhere but I discovered it by accident reading this publication. I believe it would be a good idea to make these reports public. If the Minister believes that also, will she urge the Taoiseach to make sure that those reports are published next month or whenever they are available?

My personal view is that it would be a good idea because it would show the commitment and drive which the Government have to the promotion of equality. I will certainly undertake to apeak to Deputy Geoghegan-Quinn and to the Taoiseach because I think the publication of such reports would show that we mean business in this regard.

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