Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)
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124. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine given that women have always been integral to the family farm but that their crucial role has often not been fully recognised or acknowledged, if he will implement the recommendations of the report “Highlighting Pathways to Empower Rural Women to Have Sustainable and Equitable Livelihoods in Farming"; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13824/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The family farm remains central to Irish agriculture, with women contributing in many different capacities. I recognise that policies must support greater gender equality. That is why a request for proposals to investigate “Women in Farming – Examining the visibility, equality and status of women in farming in Ireland” was included in my Department’s Policy and Strategic Studies Research Call.

The "Highlighting pathways to Empower Rural women to have Sustainable & Equitable Livelihoods in Farming" (HER-SELF) project was selected as the successful proposal.

HERSELF seeks to address the need to improve gender balance in Irish farming and the agri-food sector. To formulate targeted and impactful policy, we must first identify our starting position and any existing gaps that limit our knowledge and understanding of the core issues. The outputs from this research provide us with an evidence base to inform future policy, both at national and at European level.

The report from this research was launched in Maynooth University on 7^th March this year by my colleague, Minister of State Grealish.

We will now take the recommendations of the HERSELF project forward to inform future policy. Some of these findings overlap with work being carried out by the Women in Agriculture Working Group, which is progressing well and will report shortly.

I will continue to work to ensure gender equality in agriculture. The Programme for Government contains specific commitments in this regard. I believe that it is through recognition and visibility that women and young girls can consider the opportunities and possibilities that a career in farming can offer.