Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 February 2004
108 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has satisfied himself with the progress made following the September 2000 report on the advisory committee on women in agriculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4945/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 1999 I established an advisory committee to advise on the role of women in agriculture and rural communities. Membership of the advisory committee was drawn from a wide variety of relevant governmental and non-governmental stakeholders. The advisory committee's report, published in September 2000, contained 36 recommendations in total, covering a very broad range of policy and operational areas. These areas were: statistical evaluation of women farmers; employment, training and information technology; representation; social inclusion, and personal finance-economic and legal issues.
While recognising the contribution of women to Irish agriculture, it is clear from an analysis of the recommendations that the advisory committee's central concerns related to issues affecting women in rural communities more generally.
Some of the recommendations of the advisory committee's report were overtaken by a range of developments, including the establishment of a national rural development forum. This meets in open session twice a year and provides a forum for continued attention to many of the issues raised in the report. It should also be noted that, subsequent to the publication of the report, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaelteacht Affairs was established. In addition, elements of the report were incorporated into the national plan for women, published in 2002 by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
Notwithstanding the change of remit of my Department and the aforementioned developments the advisory committee's recommendations have been pursued by my Department and a comprehensive progress report on the recommendations has been finalised. This provides ample evidence of the substantial progress made across the broad range of issues raised by the advisory committee. I have arranged for a copy of the progress report to be sent to the Deputy.
