Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the barriers that women founders of tech companies face in accessing State support, I refer to something that is happening in California. The Governor, Mr. Gavin Newsom, has signed into law Senate Bill 54 which will require venture capital firms in the state to annually report the diversity of the founders they are backing. It is very specific. It is looking directly at the founders.

I welcome the fact the Minister of State has engaged with TechFoundHer. I would encourage him to keep that engagement going to listen because, in the absence of hard data, anecdotal evidence is incredibly compelling.

Would the Minister give consideration to legislation of the same nature? It is a sad day if the United States are leading on an issue like this. Would the Minister give consideration to similar legislation that would almost mandate diversity within the sector because, I believe, the talent and enthusiasm is there? The women are there but we know all of the barriers - cannot see, cannot be, etc. I believe it requires a State intervention to break down some of those barriers.

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