Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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284. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of women who now hold positions of seniority in all third level institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36998/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Higher Education Authority collects gender disaggregated staff data from Irish higher education institutions (HEIs) that are in receipt of annual core-grant funding. This data is collated in the Higher Education Institutional Staff Profiles by Gender, which provide information on key indicators which contribute to the assessment of gender equality in Irish HEIs and offer a valuable baseline from which progress can be measured. There is a continued increase in the representation of females in HEI leadership (which now stands at 50%), in governance and management structures and at senior academic levels. In the University sector the percentage of female professors has risen from 19% in 2016 when the Staff Profiles were first published to 30% at the end of 2021. The profiles are published annually and can be accessed on HEA website. I also draw the Deputy's attention to Athena Swan and the Senior Academic Leadership Initiative (SALI) which support the advancement of women in third level academia.