asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of women farmers at present; this figure as a percentage of the total number of farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Women Farmers.
34.
It is estimated from the 1985 farm structures sample survey that the number of female landholders at 24,000 represented approximately 11 per cent of the 220,000 farming landholders in the State. Not all landholders, however, would consider themselves to be "at work" with farming as a principal gainful occupation; the results from the 1985 labour force sample survey indicate that only an estimated 119,000 landholders considered themselves to be in this category and, of these, 5,800 or 5 per cent were female.