Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps she has taken, within the context of her responsibilities in respect of agricultural households, to implement Ireland's commitments under the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action to improve the lot of rural living women here. [12232/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action signalled a commitment on the part of governments to international norms in gender equality, to the elimination of discrimination against women and to the removal of obstacles to equality for women. Ireland accepted the Beijing platform without reservations. A national women's strategy is currently being prepared and my Department is represented on the interdepartmental working group tasked with its preparation. In leading the development of Irish agriculture, my objectives include the retention of the maximum number of farm families and policies pursued by my Department are geared towards achieving these objectives.

In so far as my Department's approach is concerned the schemes and services administered by it are administered in a gender-neutral fashion. Subject to the relevant eligibility criteria, it is open to women involved in farming and in rural life to avail of the full range of services operated by my Department and other agencies.

The advisory committee's report on the role of Women in Agriculture, published in September 2000, contained 36 recommendations in total, covering a very broad range of policy and operational areas. These areas were — statistical evaluation of women farmers; employment, training and information technology; representation; social inclusion, and personal finance-economic and legal issues. The advisory committee's central concerns related to broader issues affecting women in rural communities more generally and the recommendations have been addressed by the relevant Departments or agencies concerned.