Mr. William Beausang:

I would not like to give the impression that we are taking a hands-off or laissez-faire approach to this. The Minister announced it in the budget and it is a commitment in the programme for Government. Significant Department of Public Expenditure and Reform resources have been committed to moving forward on equality budgeting, as reflected in the work which has been done. In all elements of the Department's activities we come to a point where we have to collaborate and co-operate because we do not have responsibility for other Departments' policies. It would be naive of us to think that we can drive changes in them. We hope that we can drive change in policy through the framework. I take the point the Chairman is making on ownership. We are focused on ensuring that there is a clear direction to this work led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

The point the Chairman made on the availability of resources is, of course, very important. As the Chairman will know, the Minister has consistently focused on the whole stock of resources out there. In the context of the kind of work being done in the Department at the moment in the second year of the spending review, ensuring that resources are devoted to priorities which are impactful, effective and efficient is a big priority for the Department. Gender and gender equality objectives are part of that.