My Department has responsibility for the equality for women measures of the national development plan. The measures will fund a number of initiatives designed to promote equality for women, includ ing improving women's access to education, training and employment, the achievement of equality for women in the workplace and business and participation of greater numbers of women in decision-making.
In October 2000, my Department invited proposals for project funding under the measure. More than 350 project proposals were received including three from the Sligo Leader Partnership. An element of one of the proposals related to the appointment of a qualified equality counsellor. A project appraisal committee chaired by my Department was established to consider the applications and to submit recommendations to me for funding based on the criteria agreed for the measure.
Part of one of the proposals submitted by the Sligo Leader Partnership related to the production of an educational video and accompanying literature to visually highlight how women are excluded in certain sectors of society and to explore ways in which this exclusion can be tackled. A similar proposal was submitted by County Leitrim Partnership. The committee recommended that a co-ordinated project between both partnerships should be developed. The details of this co-ordinated project have yet to be agreed. The other two projects submitted by the Sligo Leader Partnership were not recommended for funding.
On 14 June I announced grants amounting to £7.1 million which will support approximately 49 projects under the equality for women measure. Included in this funding is provision for the co-ordinated proposal between Sligo Leader Partnership and County Leitrim Partnership, which I approved on the basis of the recommendations submitted to me.
I am aware of the need for anti-racism training in both public and private organisations. Within the past year there has been a number of initiatives on anti-racism training. In May 2000 the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism established a training unit which has provided anti-racism awareness raising training to over 40 Government and statutory organisations, national media organisations, the equality authorities, trade unions, employer and community organisations, and hospital and health boards. The training unit has developed a code of practice which sets out standards and approaches for anti-racism training following extensive consultation with practitioners.
As part of its preparations for initiatives during the anti-racist workplace week next November, the Equality Authority has advertised for applications for a panel of anti-racism trainers. The anti-racist workplace week is being organised by the Equality Authority in partnership with ICTU, IBEC and the Construction Industry Federation with the aim of developing good anti-racist practice at workplace level. A key focus for the week will be training for the anti-racist workplace.
