Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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52. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the progress being made in appointing women to senior diplomatic posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3699/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to embedding a culture of dignity and respect in the workplace, emphasising gender, equality, diversity and inclusion, as set out in the Department of Foreign Affairs Statement of Strategy 2021-2023.

Advancing gender equality is a key objective in the Department's Human Resources Strategy 2019-2022. Since the launch of this Strategy, my Department has published a number of policies and supports, including a Maternity Leave Cover Policy, a Guide to Supports for Maternity, Adoptive and Parental Leave, and is currently in the early stages of developing a Menopause Policy. In addition, a gender pay gap report has been published for the past three years which also examines the levels of men and women at senior grades at headquarters and at Missions abroad.

My Department has an active Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Sub-Committee of the Management Board which has five working groups, one of which focuses on gender equality issues, including through the implementation of a Departmental Gender Equality Action Plan. The work underway across my Department complements wider efforts towards gender equality being advanced through the Civil Service renewal process.

At present, at Assistant Principal level and above, 46 percent are women. The proportion of Heads of Mission, by gender for the years 2011 to 2021, is set out in tabular form below. The figures demonstrate significant progress towards parity over the course of a ten year period. The percentage of female Heads of Mission is set to increase to 46 percent by the end of 2022 following the summer rotations at Missions abroad.

My Department remains committed to efforts to enhance gender equality at senior levels along with other commitments in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion.