Alan Shatter
Question:7 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the way in which the proposed policy of gender proofing will be implemented to ensure that it is respected in day to day decisions in the Public Service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Equality Proofing.
Phil Hogan
Question:29 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform if he will give a list of policies and decisions which have been equality proofed by the Government since it accepted the recommendation in the First Statement of the Commission on the Status of Women in April 1991.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 29 together.
I can assure the Deputy that in taking its decisions the Government has full regard to the implications for women in each instance. This policy is applied by Ministers and officials at departmental level. One of the benefits of equality proofing is that it facilitates the development of a sensitisation to women's concerns and perspectives.
Most day to day decisions are taken within the context of wider Government policy decisions and legislation. Implementation of the formal gender-proofing process is complemented by training courses and guidelines for forms of address and delivery of services to the public, all of which contribute towards a culture of equality in the public service.
Can the Minister give us examples of exercises in gender-proofing in the various Departments since he took office?.
I cannot give any specific examples. The Government introduced gender-proofing earlier in the year and decisions are taking place routinely.
It would not be possible to have a formal equality proofing procedure for all day to day decisions. On the wider policy decisions the Government has issued certain directives. There will be a trickled down effect from that. Major policy decisions are gender-proofed at Cabinet level by me, and all Ministers give an assessment of gender impact of policy and legislation matters when they are submitted to Cabinet.
What overview does the Minister take of Government Departments to ensure that gender-proofing is carried out? What steps have been put in place in, for example, the Leader programme to ensure that there is gender-proofing there and women are dealt with from a position of equality in the context of their involvement in that programme?
It is primarily the responsibility of each Minister to ensure that equality applies down the line on the routine decisions that take place in his Department. The Government's responsibility in the matter, which it has carried out, is to require gender-proofing to take place on broad policy matters and on legislative matters. That it has done. It is expected that that will sensitise senior officials in all Departments to have regard to gender-proofing issues and to ensure that it is carried out. On the broader issues, obviously my Department and I have a particular responsibility to ensure that these matters are monitored and I will take considerable care to do that.
In the context of the commitment by the Minister's party to open Government, will he publish the directives issued by his Department that apply to other Departments so that we may ensure gender proofing? Will he make copies of such directives available to Deputies in the Library? If the Minister does not have examples of where gender proofing has applied to date and can merely give the House a trickled down account, will he research that matter and inform Members of the instances in which gender proofing has in practice applied, as opposed to its being a matter of theoretical commitment in a Government programme?
It is not normal practice or appropriate to give details of specific Government directives. However, the House may be assured that procedures are in place and will be monitored by my Department to the maximum possible extent.
That information must be covered by the Official Secrets Act.