Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I understand the National Women's Council is working with the Department and is represented on the steering group - tús maith and so on - and I also acknowledge that this is the beginning of a journey. What I am trying to figure out is where we will be on this journey in next year's budget or in five years time. Will we still have indicators that are not ambitious and about which, in some cases, questions arise as to how they will impact on gender equality. It is fine if we are building but will we build for next year? The joint committee must produce a report on this initiative which will, we hope, influence the future direction of the Government, as will the steering group. What will be the next steps? I am not criticising what has been done because we are in a much better position than we were last year when we could not even get this issue on the agenda. While we all welcome the initiative, we would like to know what will be the next step that will build on some of the achievements that have been made thus far.