Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 107: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made in establishing the monitoring and evaluation system outlined in the NAP; if he has consulted with civil society regarding the nomination of an independent chair. [25348/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ireland's national action plan in regard to UN Security Council Resolution 1325, on women, peace and security, was officially launched in November 2011. The plan sets out how Ireland will promote and implement the objectives of UNSCR 1325 in its programme support activities, diplomatic advocacy and policy-making across the interrelated areas of peace, security and development.

By adopting a national action plan, we have made a firm commitment to listen to the voices of women affected by conflict. To this end, the plan aims to strengthen women's leadership and implement accountability mechanisms, to reinforce institutional capacities through comprehensive training of staff deployed overseas and to support programmes to promote women's participation in peacebuilding, post-conflict transition and related activities. The plan also commits Ireland to use its involvement in global and regional fora to champion the implementation of UNSCR 1325.

The plan contains a number of provisions for monitoring and evaluation. These are important in ensuring that the national action plan is a living document which serves the goal of effective implementation of UNSCR 1325 and related UN obligations on women, peace and security. The plan provides for the formation of a monitoring group to oversee progress on implementation. This group will consist of representatives from all relevant Departments as well as members of civil society and the academic community with expertise in the field. It will meet every six months under an independent chair.

Officials from my Department will meet with key representatives from civil society next week to discuss the formation of the monitoring group and the appointment of an independent chair. I look forward to productive discussions in that format and to effective cooperation among all relevant stakeholders, both inside and outside government, in support of implementation of the national action plan. Issues relating to women, peace and security will continue to be an important area of work for my Department.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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As the Tánaiste knows, I raised this issue with him some time ago. It was to have been launched on International Women's Day in March last year but was delayed because of the general election and the coming in of the new Government. There is great frustration in civil society that we do not have the implementation of a plan and I am sure the Tánaiste appreciates that. This is a very serious commitment, involving a UN Security Council resolution on giving women their place in conflict resolution. There is much we can look at both in terms of Ireland and our work overseas. I urge the Tánaiste to ensure this is taken on board. I welcome that he is meeting members of civil society next week but we really need to honour this commitment, particularly given that we hold the chair of the OSCE this year.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ireland is very much in a leadership position in regard to UNSCR 1325. We have adopted a national action plan which has been published. My Department has committed considerable resources towards the preparation of the national action plan. In 2009, a total of €485,000 came from the Department's stability fund; in 2010 the figure was €412,500. As I stated in my reply, officials from my Department will meet with civil society groups next week to discuss the formation of the monitoring group and the appointment of an independent chair.