Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent)

I wish to follow up on some of the related themes that have been discussed. I was glad the Minister indicated that the intention is to continue and deepen the well-being framework, which previously had been on a pilot basis. I apologise if this may have been discussed already; I was called away for a vote. Will that be extended in the next budget? There was a hearing earlier this afternoon on the sustainable development goals. Social Justice Ireland and others have done a really good exercise on how the 17 SDGs map to the 11 well-being dimensions in the well-being framework. Will the well-being framework be scaled up across all areas of the budget as the Minister anticipates? Has there been any thought on how it may intersect with the kinds of indicators, goals and targets within the 17 development goals?

On the gender and equality proofing of annual budgets, going back to the commitment made not in the last Oireachtas but the previous one, I ask for an update on how gender and equality proofing can be moved forward. At one point Ireland was looking at the Scottish model of having a gender and equality advisory committee and trying to mirror what is done in Scotland where I believe an equality statement accompanies the budget. What is the thinking on that gender and equality proofing? Aside from the distributional impact, is there something more planned in that regard? Those are two questions on the budget.

I have one more question for the Minister and then have questions for the Minister of State. How is the public sector equality and human rights duty as described under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 being applied to the Minister's engagement with Departments under public expenditure planning?