Written answers

Thursday, 2 December 2021

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Citizens' Assembly

Photo of Violet-Anne WynneViolet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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117. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way the recommendations from the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality will be used constructively going forward. [53379/21]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality, which submitted its report to the Oireachtas on 2 June, has made 45 recommendations towards gender equality in Ireland. The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment that the Government will respond to each recommendation of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality.

As the Minister with responsibility for Gender Equality, many of the recommendations fall under my remit, including the recommendations for amendment to the Constitution; recommendations on equality legislation; on encouraging women in leadership; some of the recommendations on gender equality in pay and in the workplace, recommendations focusing on early learning and childcare and some recommendations under the broad heading of care. Many other recommendations of the Citizen’s Assembly fall under the responsibility of a number of my Ministerial colleagues and I will work with them to provide these with the necessary in-depth consideration.  The recommendations will be a key element in the successor strategy to the National Strategy for Women and Girls which will be developed next year.

Photo of Louise O'ReillyLouise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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118. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality recommendation that a statutory right to reasonable access to flexible working be introduced; if this recommendation has been accepted; if so, the stage plans to introduce it are at; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53077/21]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality, which submitted its report to the Oireachtas on 2 June, has made 45 recommendations towards gender equality in Ireland. The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment that the Government will respond to each recommendation of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality. As the Minister with responsibility for Gender Equality, many of the recommendations fall under my remit, including the recommendations for amendment to the Constitution; recommendations on equality legislation; on encouraging women in leadership; on gender equality in pay and in the workplace, recommendations focusing on early learning and childcare and recommendations under the broad heading of care. Many other recommendations of the Citizen’s Assembly fall under the responsibility of a number of my Ministerial colleagues and I will work with them to provide these with the necessary in-depth consideration.

 In relation specifically to the recommendation that a statutory right to reasonable access to flexible working be introduced, this recommendation will be considered and a response developed.  As the Deputy will be aware, Article 9 of Directive 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on work-life balance for parents and carers provides that Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that workers with children up to a specified age, which shall be at least eight years, and carers, have the right to request flexible working arrangements for caring purposes. The date for transposition of the Directive is 2 August 2022.

I intend to bring to Government in the coming weeks legislative proposals fully to implement the Directive including with regard to a right to request flexible working. The Tánaiste is separately developing proposals on a right to request remote working.

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