Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 23 Mar 1994

Vol. 440 No. 5

Written Answers. - Report of Commission.

Frances Fitzgerald

Ceist:

15 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform when he intends to publish the progress report on the implementation of the recomnendations contained in the report of the Second Commission on the Status of Women.

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

21 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the results of his examination of the recommendations of the Second Commission on the Status of Women concerning political parties, in particular, in relation to the dual mandate, encouragement of increased participation by women in politics and the representation of women in Seanad Éireann; the action, if any, the Government intends to take on these proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Equality and Law Reform (Mr. Taylor)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 21 together.

Responsibility for examining the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the Second Commission on the Status of Women is a matter for my Department.

Contact was made with all political parties on the issue of dual mandate. As reported, in a previous reply to a parliamentary question on this issue, only two parties responded in a substantive way and I then urged other parties to give their views. I regret to say that to date I have received no other views on the matter.

The monitoring committee, as recommended in the Second Commission's report, has been established and the first meeting was held earlier this month. The committee has requested my Department to contact the political parties again with the view to receiving a considered reply regarding this recommendation for inclusion in a report on the current position regarding all the recommendations.

My Department will be publishing the first progress report on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Commission on the Status of Women, which is in preparation, later this year.