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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Mar 2000

Vol. 516 No. 6

Written Answers. - Gender Equality.

John Bruton

Question:

269 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a statement on the recent report published by his Department on gender imbalance in Civil Service grades at higher executive officer level and above. [7947/00]

The report, Gender Equality in the Civil Service, is the outcome of research commissioned as part of the ongoing development of human resources management policies under the strategic management initiative, SMI, in the Civil Service. Delivering Better Government, DBG, noted that while the Civil Service had been to the forefront in developing and implementing policies to achieve greater equality of opportunity, nevertheless women employees remained concentrated at lower levels. In view of the need to redress the imbalance, DBG recommended that appropriate strategies be put in place. It was in this context that research was commissioned on the under representation of women in the grades at and above HEO level.

Among the conclusions from this research are that, compared to men, women can expect to enter at a lower level and progress more slowly through the grading structure and, as a result, can often expect to be paid less over the course of their careers. In addition, women are far more likely to have to balance family and work responsibilities, often choosing job-sharing or ruling out promotion as a result. The research also concluded that women are less likely than men to be placed in high profile, core activities within the service, tending instead to be concentrated in operational areas of work and consequently, women are less likely to benefit from opportunities for accelerated career progression.

The main research findings, together with a package of measures based on the recommendations in the report, were endorsed by the Government and were presented by the Taoiseach and me at the launch of the current phase of the strategic management initiative for the Civil Service in July 1999.

The key elements of these measures are the development and adoption of a new equality policy; a programme of affirmative action in the main human resource policy areas of recruitment, placement and mobility, training and development, promotion, work and family responsibilities, language and sexual harassment and policy delivery; the adoption of strategic objective setting at individual Department/office level, including the setting of increasingly specific equality goals, to be achieved over a stated period of time; new equality structures to be put in place, both locally and centrally, to support implementation of the policy and the adoption of a communications strategy for implementation. Work on the development and implementation of these measures is currently under way. A high level gender equality management group, chaired by Ms Josephine Feehily, Revenue Commissioner, has been established. The group has responsibility for the development of a new gender equality policy and a framework programme of affirmative action for equality, in accordance with best standards of equal opportunities practices.

A key element of the approach which the group is developing is the concept of strategic objective setting, whereby Departments and offices will be required to set for themselves increasingly specific goals for greater representation of women, particularly at middle and senior management grades. These goals will be realistic but challenging, will be based on increased female participation, will operate within the law and will not involve any deviation from the merit principle for selection.
An essential part of the process will be discussions with the staff and unions on the implementation of the new policy and framework programme, in accordance with the approach adopted to SMI proposals generally.
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