Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Menon. I acknowledge the presence of Mr. Jim Wells, MLA, who travelled with me on the Oxfam visit to Tanzania as part of a North-South initiative that worked extremely well. I thank him for sitting in the Visitors Gallery. I know he attended this morning's conference to hear at first hand about what was happening in this jurisdiction on the issue of gender equality. I thank him very much for doing so. Obviously, gender equality is a fundamental human right and an essential part of any effective poverty reduction strategy. On foot of today's meeting, with the permission of the committee, I suggest we write to the Tánaiste to ask him to highlight the importance of gender equality during Ireland's forthcoming Presidency of the European Union. It would be useful for us to ensure gender equality was included as part of the programme for our Presidency. With the permission of members, we will get the secretariat to organise this.