Departmental Priorities

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2021

Tuesday, 15 June 2021

Ceisteanna (641, 642, 643, 679, 682)

Jennifer Whitmore

Ceist:

641. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his priorities for the forthcoming Generation Equality Forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31964/21]

Neale Richmond

Ceist:

642. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his priorities for the forthcoming Generation Equality Forum; if Ireland will make a policy commitment on comprehensive sexuality education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31967/21]

Holly Cairns

Ceist:

643. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his priorities for the forthcoming Generation Equality Forum; if Ireland will make a commitment to adopt a comprehensive sexual and reproductive health policy for adolescents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32104/21]

Neasa Hourigan

Ceist:

679. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the State's national commitments at the forthcoming Generation Equality Forum will include policy and funding commitments on the establishment of the State-funded contraception scheme, including an allocation in Budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31960/21]

John Brady

Ceist:

682. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the policy and funding commitments to sexual and reproductive health and rights that will be made at the forthcoming generation equality forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32059/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (Deputy Colm Brophy)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 641 to 643, inclusive, 679 and 682 together.

The Generation Equality Forum hosted by the Government of France and convened by UN Women will take place in Paris from 30 June to 2 July. Ireland has engaged closely with the Generation Equality process, including through my participation at the virtual high-level event hosted by the Government of Mexico in March.

The Paris Forum will see the launch of a series of actions to be taken over the coming years to further progress on gender equality. My focus has been on education, building on our Drive for Five initiative, which Ireland, with UN Women, the Global Partnership for Education, ONE and the Malala Fund, launched in February 2020 and which asked all Governments to commit to five actions to improve girls access to education. With this focus, Ireland has played an active role in the preparations for Paris, including advocating for a strong focus on gender transformative education and girls’ education across all strands of the Forum’s work, reflecting the importance of girls' education to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. This is why I have pledged €60 million to the Global Partnership for Education over the next five years, with €10 million earmarked to the Girls’ Accelerator Mechanism.

Comprehensive sexuality education plays an important role in strengthening girls’ abilities to make autonomous decisions about their bodies, sexuality and reproduction. It can also help to gradually change societal norms and attitudes, and remove policy and legal barriers to sexual and reproductive health services.

Work is ongoing within my Department in coordination with other Government Departments to finalise the Government’s commitments ahead of the Summit. These will reflect our strong domestic and international commitment to advance gender equality. All Member States have been asked to identify commitments, across six thematic areas. These commitments will be collectively monitored to 2026, and will form the basis for global momentum on gender equality.

Question No. 642 answered with Question No. 641.

Question No. 643 answered with Question No. 641.