Nuala Fennell
Question:6 Mrs. Fennell asked the Taoiseach if he will outline the staff and budget being allocated to Minister of State Kitt specifically for his women's affairs responsibility.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Women's Affairs.
In recognition of the Government's commitment to women's affairs, an additional three people have been allocated to this area of work within the Economic and Social Policy Division of my Department bringing the total staff employed for this specific responsibility to five. Three other people in the Department work full time as the secretariat for the Commission on the Status of Women.
The specific public expenditure allocations, in addition to staff costs, for Women's Affairs in the Vote for the Department of the Taoiseach this year are a grant of £114,000 to the Council for the Status of Women and a grant of £44,000 to the second Commission on the Status of Women. I as Minister of State have a co-ordination responsibility across a range of Government Departments and other public bodies involving significantly higher public expenditure allocations especially in the health, social welfare, education and training areas.
I regret I cannot address my supplementary questions to the Taoiseach because the question was put to him and it is he who has to make the decision about finance and staff. May I ask the Minister of State — with the Taoiseach listening — if he is not aware that many women's organisations are puzzled and confused at the three-part role which the Minister of State must play in European affairs, cultural affairs and women's affairs? The concern of many of these groups is that the budget about which I have asked will be for all those areas and we will not know that has been allocated and what has been spent on women's affairs. I would ask the Minister of State——
I must dissuade the Deputy from making a speech.
I must clarify this matter because it is very difficult.
Let us proceed by questions, Deputy.
The amounts which the Minister of State quoted were those contained in the Book of Estimates for the Council on the Status of Women and for the Commission. My question asked about the funding available in the Taoiseach's Department to be spent on women's affairs which was available in the past and identified in the Book of Estimates but which does not seem to exist now. The Taoiseach has said there are no funds available other than what has been given away, and I seek clarification on that statement.
It is a matter of opinion what way the Government should organise their business in this area. It is my view that my role of co-ordinating the activities of Departments is the appropriate one. I am aware that when Deputy Fennell was Minister of State with special responsibility for women's affairs between 1983-87 she had a budget of the order of £800,000 with which to carry out her responsibilities. Of this, £500,000 was committed to the Council for the Status of Women who have had a meeting with me and who have not expressed the view which has been represented by Deputy Fennell. They are very willing to wait and see how I perform in this Department and willing and anxious to judge me on my performance.
So is everybody else.
(Interruptions.)
Let us hear the Minister's reply.
A significant proportion of the remainder of Deputy Fennell's budget was set aside for the UN End of Decade for women's activities. The balance enabled Deputy Fennell to provide seed funding for women's groups to issue information leaflets and organise the "Women in Business" campaign, for example. The reply to such criticism is that individual Ministers are charged with the task of carrying out such activities from their own budgets. Both the Taoiseach and I — and the question was put to the Taoiseach — wish to point to the £500,000 allocated by the Minister for Social Welfare this year for his scheme of grants for locally based women's groups as a practical example of the arrangements which have been put in place. Therefore, Deputy Fennell is wrong to suggest that the only way to conduct a Department is to have a role similar to the one she carried out. My colleagues on this side of the House, including my predecessor, Deputy Geoghegan-Quinn, who carried out this co-ordinating role, will vouch for the fact that the most efficient way to conduct a Department for women's affairs is to have a co-ordinating role.
I suggest to the Minister of State that women want more than co-ordination at this point; they want to see specific funds and staff being allocated to this section of Government. Let me say to him also that I was hugely impressed by the shopping list or agenda given to him by his wife when he was appointed. I suggest it would cost billions of pounds to implement the sensible requests she has made of him and the Government. I hope, however, that the Minister of State and the Taoiseach will note the list because I have to say it was sensible and practical. I am disappointed at the answers and I do not have much hope in relation to that work.
I am amazed at Deputy Fennell's response; I thought she would have been very pleased that three additional staff have been appointed by the Government to my Department. That is a very positive step. I look forward——
Constituency people?
Excuse me; one assistant principal officer, one administrative officer and one executive officer have been appointed to my Department. In addition, one assistant principal officer, one administrative officer and one clerical assitant-typist in my Department have been assigned to the secretariat of the Commission on the Status of Women who, as the House is aware, are expected to report to Government by the end of July 1992. These officers can be put at the disposal of my Department at that time if the situation warrants it. I am satisfied that sufficient staff are available. Indeed, I am very pleased the Taoiseach has agreed to appoint three additional staff to the women's affairs section of my Department.
Let us deal with Question No. 7, please.