Written Answers. - Gender Equality Policy.
Jan O'Sullivan
Question:
42
Ms O'Sullivan
asked the
Minister for Finance
the progress made to date in the implementation of the recently launched Civil Service gender equality policy; the steps being taken to implement the objectives of the policy within the Department of Finance and the public service generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12420/02]
The new gender equality policy for the Civil Service was launched in September 2001. The policy restates the Government's commitment to gender equality in the Civil Service. All Departments are required to set strategic objectives and equality goals for increasing women's representation at all levels in the organisation. The objectives are to be included in their strategy statements. Departments must then go on to plan and implement a programme of action to deal with any obstacles to career progression for women identified in their own organisations.
The policy also aims to tackle the gender imbalance at management level. Although women are the majority in the clerical and executive grades and in the Civil Service as a whole, there are few women in higher management. Women form 69% of staff in the lower grades, but make up only 23% at management grades.
To give a definite focus to Departments' planning, the Government has set a target for the key assistant principal grade. Departments must work to ensure that, by 2005, 33% of assistant principal posts are filled by women. At present, women fill 27% of these posts. By increasing the number of women at that grade, there will be a larger number of women who can be promoted to the more senior levels.
The inclusion of strategic objectives and equality goals for assistant principals and other grades in each Department's statement of strategy is a key to the achievement of gender equality in the Civil Service. Progress with the equality goals must be reported on in the same way as all the other elements in the strategy statements.
Departments are setting their targets and planning how best to achieve them. For example, the Department of Finance has set targets which, over the next five years and subject to the number of vacancies arising, should see the representation of women increasing from 28% to close to 35% in the assistant principal grade and from 14% to close to 25% at the principal grade. Other Departments are adopting broadly similar strategies.
To support the implementation of the policy, the equality unit in the Department of Finance is holding a series of meetings. The aim is to exchange ideas and to encourage Departments to take definite steps to push the policy forward. The first round of meetings has been held and a second round to firm up some of the ideas which have come forward will be held shortly. Following these discussions, the equality unit will prepare a short report which will be circulated to Departments. The report will make Departments aware of what the best practice is and will, where necessary, suggest what further progress needs to be made.
