Jan O'Sullivan
Question:298 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the measures he will take to advance the participation of women in the political process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13655/00]
Written Answers. - Women in Politics.
The national development plan provided an allocation to my Department for targeted actions for women over the life of the plan. A portion of this budget will be allocated to initiatives designed to increase women's participation in decision making. In this connection, my Department will be working with organisations with expertise on this issue to develop appropriate projects in this area. It is my intention that the representation of women in political life will be one of the areas targeted for positive action measures.
I should point out that it is the responsibility of the political parties themselves to ensure greater participation of women within their structures.
The Second Commission on the Status of Women made a number of recommendations regarding women in the political process. These include the abolition of the dual mandate in respect of simultaneous representation in the Oireachtas and local authorities or councils and in the Oireachtas and European Parliament; a positive action programme for political parties; nomination of equal numbers of women and men candidates for panel seats in the Seanad and introduction of legislation for gender quotas if there is not a sufficient number of women Deputies within ten years of the commission reporting.
My Department has brought these recommendations to the attention of the political parties on a number of occasions.
Prior to the 1999 local and European elections, my Department wrote to the main political parties asking how the recommendations of the Second Commission on the Status of Women would be implemented in respect of those elections. The responses were published in the third progress report on implementation of the commission's recommendations in March 1999.