Vol. 505 No. 4
21 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Finance the proposals, if any, he has for incorporation into the new national development plan of gender mainstreaming in the application of Structural Funds; if this proposal has been considered by the social partners; the proposals, if any, he has for consultations with women's groups on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12060/99]
Work is ongoing in my Department on developing proposals for Government on priorities and overall resources for the National Development Plan 2000-06. While I am not in a position to go into details of the plan, I confirm that the Government is committed to mainstreaming gender equality and, in this con text, I assure the Deputy that this issue will be incorporated into the national development plan.
In addition, the Taoiseach and I today met representatives of the community and voluntary pillar who set out their concerns about gender mainstreaming. This follows a meeting I had with this pillar in January last to discuss the plan, at which the issue of gender mainstreaming was also raised.
This reply was drafted last night at which point it was intended that the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and I would meet representatives of the community and voluntary pillar. The Taoiseach and I met them but the Tánaiste was indisposed.
Will the Minister indicate the areas in which he considers gender mainstreaming would be particularly appropriate?
The community and voluntary pillar pressed for poverty proofing over several years and that is now incorporated into all Government proposals. In the same way, the pillar wants the next national development plan to incorporate gender proofing across every aspect of the plan. At our meeting with representatives of the pillar this morning, a particular area was not singled out. They wanted the entire plan to be examined in microscopic detail from the point of view of gender proofing. That will be done.
