Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 2

Written Answers. - Ministerial Responsibiities.

Paul McGrath

Question:

307 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the areas of responsibility of his Minister of State, Deputy Mary Wallace; the budget for 1998 for her areas of responsibility; and if she has autonomy in relation to her areas of responsibility. [22888/97]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

Deputy Mary Wallace is the Minister of State for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform as a whole, with special responsibility for equality and disability matters. As Minister of State she reports to me in respect of all aspects of her mandate.

The Minister of State is chairperson of the newly established National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women. She regularly liaises with the monitoring committee on the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities and the Gender Equality Monitoring Committee.

The Minister of State, on behalf of the Government, personally co-ordinated Disability Awareness Week which ran from 8-12 December 1997 and chaired the Irish National Information Day on Disability on 24 November 1997.

The Estimate for the Department as a whole for 1998 is £778,413,000.