Alan Shatter
Question:76 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Finance the action he proposes to take on the recommendations contained in the report Motherhood, Work and Equal Opportunity of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Women's Rights.
Written Answers. - Women's Rights Report.
The practice in dealing with equality matters in the Civil Service is to engage in full consultation with the staff interests through a standing union-management committee which meets on a regular basis. The report is currently under discussion at this committee and their detailed comments on it are awaited. It can be said, however, that the report's recommendations are based on research that was carried out some years ago and since then there have been ongoing developments in the area of equal opportunities in the Civil Service which have overtaken certain of the recommendations concerned.
The Deputy can be assured that I am committed to ensuring full equality of opportunity in the Civil Service and that I will be taking a keen interest in the outcome to the present consultations with a view to further developing good practice in this important area.