Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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652. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the timeline for the publication of the next National Strategy for Women and Girls; if this timeline has been brought forward; if there will be adequate time for consultation on the next strategy; if her Department has considered an innovate title for the new strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13451/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department leads on cross-government policy to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

The Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, commits my Department to publish and implement an updated National Strategy for Women and Girls. My Department is currently working to fulfil that commitment. A stakeholder consultation was completed at the end of 2024. This included a series of in-person consultations with representations from across civil society as well as an online survey which included both civil society organisations and members of the public. A report summarising the findings of this consultation has been drafted and is currently under review to help identify areas of priority for the next National Strategy.

Additionally, in September 2024 the first National Youth Assembly on Gender Equality was convened to attain the views of young people on priorities for inclusion in the new strategy. This assembly was specifically designed to provide young people with an opportunity to discuss how gender inequality affects their lives, explore solutions, and make recommendations that could be integrated into national policy. A report detailing the findings of this event has been drafted and is also under review to help identify areas of priority for the next National Strategy.

An engagement event was recently hosted by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with the support of the National Women's Council to both mark International Women's Day and to provide an update to stakeholders. The findings from the stakeholder consultation and National Youth Assembly event were discussed followed by a prioritisation exercise to help identify potential gaps in the findings and areas for further consideration.

It is anticipated that the updated strategy will be completed and published in Q2 of 2025.

A title for the next National Strategy for Women and Girls remains under consideration and will be announced when the strategy is published.