Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 May 2022
343. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the funding allocations in budget 2023 will be gender equality proofed and in accordance with wellbeing budget indicators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21692/22]
View answerEquality budgeting is an integral part of the current budgeting framework of the Department. It is currently applied to programmes with a particular focus on gender equality in further education, higher education leadership, apprenticeship and in research. Reporting on access provision to higher education includes the number of new entrants entering higher education with a disability and number of new entrants who are travellers. In keeping with public sector obligations under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Act 2014, policies and plans delivered by the Department promote equality and prevent discrimination both of service users and the wider public impacted by policy interventions.
Under the current approach:-
- The number of women registered as apprentices has grown from 665 at end 2019 to 1,482 in March 2022
- The number of women in Senior Academic Leadership (SALI) Posts in the higher education sector increased by 50%, from 20 in 2019 to 30 in 2021
- In the research sector, the Female Research Applicant Success Rate has grown from 26% in 2019 to 31% in 2020.
The further and higher education and training and research systems are key to the wellbeing indicators at a national level. Measures of lifelong learning participation and engagement in research are major contributors to the national wellbeing indicators, however the education and training system response at all levels is also integral to the national response effort in areas such as housing, climate and labour utilisation. By focusing on metrics that measure access to lifelong learning, as well as providing incentives to Research and Development that focus on promoting the subjective wellbeing of people in Ireland, my Department will ensure that spending will be proofed in accordance with existing wellbeing and gender equality indicators.
The specific treatment of funding allocations for Budget 2023 will be in alignment with the developing work by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform around Well-being and the Evaluation and Budget Allocation Process.
