Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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83. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which households headed by women have been empowered and are no longer at a higher risk of poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38978/16]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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The Government views the empowerment of women to engage in the labour market as one of the key elements in reducing the risk of poverty among female-headed households.

In the Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government has committed to taking measures to reduce the gender pay gap. It will seek to promote wage transparency by requiring companies of 50 or more to complete a wage survey and is giving a strengthened role to the Low Pay Commission in relation to the gender pay gap. Other Programme for Government commitments include the provision of locally delivered courses for women to assist their return to the labour market and to promote entrepreneurship. The Government has also committed to reducing poverty levels by supporting an increase in the minimum wage to €10.50 per hour over the next five years.

The preponderance of women on the national minimum wage was highlighted in the Low Pay Commission’s 2015 Report. In order to obtain a better understanding of this issue, the Low Pay Commission was asked by the then Minister of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Minister for Business and Employment to examine this issue as part of its 2016 Work Programme, to report its views as to the underlying reasons for this position, and make any recommendations it considers appropriate. The Commission submitted its report to the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on this matter in October 2016 and the report will be published shortly.

From September 2017 a new Affordable Childcare Scheme will be introduced by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs which will provide financial support for parents towards the cost of childcare, under a system from which both universal and targeted subsidies can be provided towards the cost of childcare. The new scheme, which will replace the existing targeted childcare programmes, aims to streamline the existing targeted schemes to make them more accessible for both parents and providers, provide a fair and consistent scheme of progressive financial support towards the cost of childcare, with a particular focus, at least initially, on lower income families but also incorporating universal supports, and provide a robust and flexible platform for future investment in childcare. By achieving the above aims, it is intended that the new scheme will, inter alia, contribute to poverty reduction by ensuring that access to affordable childcare is not a barrier to labour market participation, including female labour market participation.

Lone parents, of whom over 90% are women, are among the target groups of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2015-2017, which is under the responsibility of the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. This programme aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality by improving the life chances and opportunities of those who are marginalised in society, living in poverty or in unemployment through community development approaches, targeted supports and interagency collaboration.

The Civil Service Renewal Plan recognises the clear need to continue to increase female participation at senior levels in the Civil Service. To this end, the Renewal Plan contains a commitment to improve gender balance at each level by reviewing supports and policies to ensure these are impactful and measurable. This work has commenced under the leadership of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is now a key project under the Plan.

The advancement of women into leadership and decision-making roles was actively promoted under the National Women's Strategy 2007-2016. Public consultation has begun on an updated National Women’s Strategy. It is anticipated that reducing gender inequality in senior appointments will be among the issues raised in the consultation and addressed in the new Strategy.