Vol. 430 No. 8
1 Miss Flaherty asked the Taoiseach if, in view of the Government's commitment to gender equality, he will ensure that equal opportunities policies will be an issue in the next meeting of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress Central Review Committee.
This Government's commitment in the equality area is clear from our Programme for Government 1993-1997 and, with the appointment of a new Minister for Equality and Law Reform, we are determined to ensure that equality for all groups in our society becomes a reality. In regard to people with disabilities, the Minister for Equality and Law Reform and I met recently with representatives of the Forum of People with Disabilities, when we confirmed that representatives of people with disabilities will be represented on the new National Economic and Social Forum. In addition, the monitoring committee under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress on employment of people with disabilities will continue its work, and a Commission on Disability will be established, in consultation with interested groups. In parallel, the process of establishing a permanent Council for the Status of People with Disabilities will begin.
The Central Review Committee's area of work is determined by the provisions of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress and the agenda for any particular meeting is set by the committee itself by reference to this and the current priorities as seen by the Committee. I do not believe that it would be appropriate for me to dictate what should or should not be discussed by the Central Review Committee at a particular meeting but I will arrange to have the Deputy's question brought to the committee's attention.
The issue of gender equality raised by the Deputy was recently discussed by the CRC in the context of its preparation of a progress report which details the achievements to date under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, including those in the area of equality and equal opportunity. This report was published by the CRC last week. It has been laid before the House and copies of it are available in the Library.
In thanking the Taoiseach for his detailed reply, I should confess that I was startled at first at the direction he took. While I know that being a woman can be a disadvantage to start with, a commission on disability is to take the problem too far. I take it that the Taoiseach was covering the question of opportunities in general. I would like to refer specifically to two of the recommendations made by the Commission on the Status of Women. It recommended that a committee should be established at Central Review Committee level to monitor developments, and to make proposals in regard to the employment of women and narrowing the earnings gap between men and women. Would the Taoiseach give an undertaking to bring this matter to the attention of the Central Review Committee?
I will bring it to its attention. While I cannot force any issue into the agenda I have no doubt that at some stage this issue will be discussed by the Central Review Committee. In relation to the report of the Commission on the Status of Women, we have introduced a system of gender proofing to ensure that the probable impact on women is specifically taken into account in the decision-making process. We have also set a strategy in train to establish a gender balance in the membership of the boards of State-sponsored bodies. This will be implemented over the next four years to ensure that no one sex will hold more than 60 per cent of places on any of these boards. Therefore the Deputy can take it that we are following up the report of the Commission on the Status of Women.
The reason I tabled this question is that the Taoiseach has been up front on the gender issue and has given a publicly stated commitment to achieve progress. If one were to leave the matter to natural forces, progress on the many issues still on the table at Central Review Committee level could be slow. Because of this we are looking to the Government to take a lead, given that it indicated it would. Second, there is a need for all employers to adopt an equal opportunities policy and a regular review of the implementation of such a policy should form part of the ongoing review of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress or whatever programme may replace it in the future.
If the Deputy reads the progress report on the Programme for Economic and Social Progress she will be pleasantly surprised at the level of progress. The Minister for Equality and Law Reform has already set up a working group in the area touched on by the Deputy.
