Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 541: To ask the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding the 2008 to 2013 strand of the equality for women measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36523/10]

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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The Equality for Women Measure (EWM) is a positive action measure to promote equality of opportunity for women, supported by the European Social Fund. The total amount of funding identified for the Measure over the period 2008-2014 is about €11.5 million, of which half is being contributed by the ESF.

Following the initial application phase in 2008, 36 not-for-profit groups received funding of €30,000 each in 2009 for projects which help disadvantaged women to prepare for employment or mainstream training and education. A second phase of funding was made available in early 2010 to 34 of these groups, while two entrepreneurship initiatives have been allocated funding of €190,000 over a number of phases, bringing total commitments to end-June 2010 to almost €2.3 million.

A new call for funding proposals was made earlier this year, broadening the scope of the Measure to include additional entrepreneurship initiatives and the advancement of women who are in employment. Following the appraisal of 190 applications, completed by Pobal on behalf of my Department, 43 projects have recently received funding offers of up to €50,000 each. This funding, totalling €1.903 million per annum, may be renewed for one or more years, subject to projects realising their targets and to the availability of resources in the context of the grave public financial situation. Any new funding initiatives on women and decision-making would also fall to be considered in the context of the public financial situation at the appropriate time. End of Take