Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 November 2022
327. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he sought advice on whether the differentiation between male and female TAMS applicants aged 41-55 years of age is permissible under the Constitution of Ireland. [58557/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new CAP regulation (EU Regulation 2115 of 2021, establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the common agricultural policy), states that there should be “particular focus on promoting the participation of women in the socio-economic development of rural areas, with special attention to farming” and article 6(h) states that a specific objective is: “to promote employment, growth, gender equality, including the participation of women in farming, social inclusion and local development in rural areas, including the circular bio-economy and sustainable forestry”.
Preparation for Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) identified gender inequality as a weakness, while the economic benefits of increasing female participation was identified as an opportunity. In consultation with stakeholders, several measures have been included in the CSP which will support greater gender equality. These measures include:
- An increased grant rate of 60% under the Capital Investment Scheme to fund investments by trained women farmers.
- The promotion of women-only Knowledge Transfer Groups.
- Improved recording and reporting of gender data and the leveraging of the National CAP Network to increase the involvement of all women in the implementation of CAP.
- All CAP interventions will be developed with a gender-aware perspective to ensure there are no inherent barriers to women’s participation.
- In addition, European Innovation Partnerships offer an ideal opportunity for the sector to develop initiatives that will promote women’s participation in farming.
In considering the introduction of the increased grant rate, legal advice was sought. The advice received was that the equality of opportunity between men and women in farming can be promoted, as per section 14(b)(i) of the Equal Status Act: “Nothing in this Act shall be construed as prohibiting … preferential treatment or the taking of positive measures which are bona fide intended to … promote equality of opportunity for persons who are, in relation to other persons, disadvantaged or who have been or are likely to be unable to avail themselves of the same opportunities as those other persons ”
