Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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My priorities for my Department's equality brief over the coming year include the following: · Carry out a review of the legislation, structures and arrangements involving the Equality Authority, the Equality Tribunal and the Irish Human Rights Commission in order to enhance equality in an effective way; · Oversee implementation of the National Women's Strategy 2007 - 2016, including o the completion of a review of the Strategy; o reviewing the impact of the economic downturn on gender equality issues in order to ensure that Ireland continues to work towards de facto gender equality; and o encouraging the greater participation of women in decision-making including political life and women's representation on State Boards; · Support positive actions to foster de facto gender equality through the ESF-supported Equality for Women Measure; · Review the need to hold a Referendum to consider amending Article 41.2 of Constitution, broadening the reference to the role of women in the home to one which recognises the role of the parent in the home; · Continue to focus at national and local level on co-ordinated delivery of services and supports to improve outcomes for the Traveller community; · Continue to support enhanced Traveller-related measures under broader mainstream programmes; · Provide funding through Pobal to promote high quality support projects at local level under the structures of the City and County Development Boards; · Continue to support information sharing on interagency service delivery; · Fund project work to promote positive communication between Traveller and settled communities, including mediation and conflict resolution; · Continue to engage at EU level on Commission proposals for legislative change in relation to equality matters, including the areas of anti-discrimination and work-life balance; and continue to engage in all appropriate international fora on equality issues.