Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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239. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department has reviewed its gender equality policy as published in 2001; his views that a policy published 13 years ago should be the subject of a fundamental review to assess its effectiveness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27396/14]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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240. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department has reviewed its policy on diversity in the Civil Service as first published in 2002; his views that a policy published 12 years ago should be the subject of a fundamental review to assess its effectiveness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27397/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 together.

My Department is responsible for the Civil Service Gender Equality Policy and the Diversity Policy.  Substantial progress has been made in relation to the objectives set out in the Civil Service Gender Equality Policy and the Diversity Policy which were reviewed in 2006, in particular, in relation to the specific targets set by Government to address the gender imbalance at higher levels and to provide information on the work being done at Departmental and Office level to address equality issues. Subsequently the policy approach in this area has been guided and informed  by key national strategies in the area of gender equality.

My Department continues to review our targets on a regular basis, in line with the targets included in the National Women's Strategy 2007-2016.  In that Strategy the original targets for the percentage of women in the grades of Assistant Principal (33.3%) and Principal Officer (27%) in the Civil Service have already been well exceeded for both grades. At the end of 2013, the female percentage in the Assistant Principal grade was 43% and the female percentage in the Principal Officer grade was 35%. Earlier this year, the Strategy set new targets for the Civil Service of 40% women in both grades and while we are already at the target for the Assistant Principal grade we will continue to work to achieve the target in the Principal Officer grade.

A further key strategy in gender equality is the wide availability of flexible working practices.  In this regard work-life balance arrangements in the Civil Service are among the best available options provided by Irish employers, particularly when considered in tandem with annual leave and other provisions.  Civil servants continue to have access to a number of flexible working arrangements including flexi-time, work-sharing arrangements, the shorter working year scheme and career breaks.

The Civil Service Gender Equality Policy is underpinned by current equality legislation and requires individual Departments to set strategic objectives and equality goals in each Department's Strategy Statement, including goals for increasing women's representation, particularly at the higher management levels. The inclusion of such goals in each Department's Strategy Statement is a key element in the achievement of gender equality in the Civil Service.

My officials also engage on a regular basis with the  Unions through the Equality sub committee of General Council to discuss matters relating to equality generally, including both the Gender and Diversity Policies. The Civil Service is strongly committed to equality of opportunity in all its employment practices and will continue to monitor female participation at all levels in the Civil Service and support the increased participation of women.