Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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95. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 38 of 18 September 2024, the intended form and timeline of consultation he intends to conduct in relation to Ireland’s fourth National Action Plan (2025 – 2030) on Women, Peace and Security; the composition of the oversight group; the manner in which members of oversight group were appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41056/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland’s National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) is an important vehicle for Ireland to contribute to the WPS agenda at a domestic and international level. Ireland is currently implementing its third NAP. The NAP commits various government departments to implement policies, domestically and internationally, that promote the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in decision-making, protection against gender-based violence, and the integration of gender perspectives to different policy areas. These commitments are developed around the four WPS pillars: Prevention, Participation, Protection and Promotion.

Membership of the Oversight Group consists of experts from civil society organisations. academics and other independent experts with experience relevant to WPS, and representatives of government departments, units and agencies. Civil society and academia representatives comprise 50 percent of the group. Civil society and academic members of the Oversight Group were invited by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, following an open call for expressions of interest with due regard for representativeness and balance in the Group’s composition. These members serve in an individual rather than representative capacity. For statutory representatives, members were nominated by the Secretary General, or equivalent, of their respective Department or agency. The Peace and Stability Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), is the Secretariat of the Oversight Group.

A Subcommittee of the Oversight Group has been established to guide the development of Ireland’s fourth National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2025–2030. Membership of the Subcommittee is comprised of government, civil society and external expert members. The Subcommittee provides guidance and advice to the process of developing the next NAP, and will report back to the Oversight Group chaired by Ms Nora Owen.

The Subcommittee is working to ensure that the fourth NAP reflects government inputs, and civil society contributions from the Oversight Group and the public consultation. The public consultation process will ensure that experiences and views of civil society actors in the WPS space are documented and, where relevant, incorporated into the NAP. Consultations will include representatives from both domestic and international constituencies.

It is intended to publish the next NAP in early 2025.