Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Mar 1995

Vol. 450 No. 2

Written Answers. - Women in Enterprise.

Liam Aylward

Question:

49 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform in view of the expanding role that women are playing in enterprise, the percentage of women involved in enterprise; the plans, if any, he has to encourage an increase in this number in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4813/95]

Minister for Equality and Law Reform (Mr. Taylor)

While primary responsibility for developing enterprise lies with the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, my Department is well aware of the growing role of women in enterprise and keeps a watching brief on this area. When the Deputy refers to women involved in enterprise, I assume he is referring to both women who are self-employed and women entrepreneurs.

As far as the self-employed are concerned, 12.5 per cent of the self-employed are women according to the 1992 Labour Force Survey. This represents an increase from 9.4 per cent in 1985 and 9.01 per cent in 1979.

Regarding entrepreneurial activity by women, official gender breakdowns of figures on enterprise creation have not been kept up to now. According to the Small Firms Association, 25 per cent of all new companies being set up today are owned by women. Women entrepreneurs also represent 25 per cent of small manufacturing businesses assisted by the IDA.

My Department is monitoring the work of entrepreneurial agencies and has taken steps to improve the quality of information regarding women in business and to ensure that their situation is specifically addressed.

In the case of FÁS, information on all assistance granted to enterprise under its integrated enterprise programme will in future be available by gender. FÁS has also adopted the objective that 50 per cent of participants on its enterprise training programmes will be women.

Assistance to business start-ups is also provided by area-based partnership and county enterprise boards. These bodies will also in future provide information on the participation of women in business start-ups which are grant-aided by them.

My Department is working with area-based partnerships to assist them in developing strategies to support and train women entrepreneurs and increase their number. It envisages extending this assistance also to county enterprise boards.

My Department will keep this area under review through its monitoring of the implementation of the recommendations of the Second Commission on the Status of Women, and through the monitoring procedures established to review the operation of EU Structural Fund programmes.