Frances Fitzgerald
Question:80 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht if he intends to draw up a women's arts policy as recommended in the report of the Second Commission on the Status of Women.
Written Answers. - Women's Arts Policy.
Frances Fitzgerald
Question:83 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht if he will ensure that a gender breakdown of grants, given to artists, is available in order to ensure that a fair proportion of support of Exchequer and national lottery funding is directed towards women artists and women-led projects.
John Bruton
Question:84 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht if he proposes to accept the recommendation of the Second Commission on the Status of Women in respect of a women's arts policy, to the effect that there should be a gender breakdown of grants and expenditure by the Arts Council, and that there should be gender balance on the Arts Council Sub-Committees.
Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Scríofa Uimh. 80, 83 agus 84 le chéile.
The position at the moment is that An Comhairle Ealaíon has a policy of ensuring equal representation for men and women in organisations over which it has direct control. This policy is rigorously implemented. The council ensures, in so far as possible, that all panels which assess bursaries and other awards have got a good gender balance. Boards appointed by An Chomhairle Ealaíon are also, in so far as possible, formed with a good gender balance. I believe that An Comhairle can be justifiably proud of its record in this regard.
As regards the question of the preparation of a women's arts policy and of gender breakdowns of both grants and expenditure by An Comhairle Ealaíon, I am prepared to enter into discussions with An Chomhairle to see how best the recommendations of the Commission on the Status of Women can be implemented for the benefit of women artists. In this connection, An Comhairle will be asked to prepare a three-year co-ordinated plan and I see this mechanism as being a useful forum to explore and respond to the commission's recommendations over time.
The make-up of sub-committees of An Comhairle from the point of view of gender is determined by the gender balance of An Chomhairle itself. There are currently only three women out of a total of 17 members on An Comhairle but I can assure the Deputies that I will have regard to the requirements of gender balance when making appointments later this year.