Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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671. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions recommended in the Report of the Citizen's Assembly on Gender Equality; the action plan produced by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Gender Equality that are currently completed, in progress, or have not yet been actioned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15738/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality both made a series of recommendations to improve the lives of women and girls living in Ireland today. As Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth my Department leads and co-ordinates the work in the area of gender equality.

The previous National Strategy for Women and Girls (NSWG) 2017-2021 provided a whole-of-Government framework through which women’s rights continue to be advanced. While initially due to conclude in 2020, the Strategy was extended in recognition of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its implementation.

My Department is currently developing a successor to the National Strategy and a stakeholder consultation was completed at the end of 2024. The findings and recommendations from this consultation are currently under review. The consultation report along with the recommendations from the Citizens Assembly, the Joint Oireachtas Committee, and the National Youth Assembly on Gender Equality will all inform the development of the next National Strategy for Women and Girls which is expected to be published in Q2 of this year.

The Government and its predecessor have taken action on a wide range of measures recommended by the Citizens' Assembly and the Oireachtas Committee. The Government has worked to reduce the gender pay gap, for instance, by enacting the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 which introduced the legislative basis for gender pay gap reporting in Ireland. The Act requires organisations to report on their hourly gender pay gap across a range of metrics, including mean hourly remuneration, median hourly remuneration, bonuses and benefit in kind, and employee quartiles. Organisations must also publish a statement outlining the reasons for their gender pay gap (if any) and any measures that they are taking to reduce or eliminate the gap.

In 2024, organisations with over 150 employees were required to report on their gender pay gap. In 2025, the Regulations will be revised to extend this obligation to organisations with over 50 employees. An online reporting system is in development and will consist of a central portal where all employer reports must be uploaded.

There have been significant improvements in the duration of family leaves for working families in recent years. As of August 2024, under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019, working parents are now entitled to nine weeks of paid parent's leave for each relevant parent, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Parent's Leave is an individual separate entitlement and is non-transferable between parents. Parental leave entitlements were also extended in 2019 with an increase of leave from 18 weeks to 26 weeks, and the extension of the time period in which the leave can be taken from when the child attains the age of 8 years to when the child attains the age of 12 years.

The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was enacted on 4 April 2023, and introduces important entitlements for workers, including leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12, and the right to request flexible working for parents and carers. Under the Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Act 2024 women who receive a serious diagnosis during pregnancy or during their maternity leave can now hit pause on their statuary maternity leave entitlement to allow them to undergo necessary treatment, and return to their leave when well.

In September 2022 Together for Better, the new funding model for early learning and childcare, was launched. This new funding model supports the delivery of early learning and childcare for the public good, for quality and affordability for children, parents and families as well as stability and sustainability for providers.

Budget 2023 introduced major reforms to the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) from January 2023, which have substantially improved the affordability of early learning and care and school aged childcare for families by allocating an additional €121 million of funding. NCS rates and thresholds are reviewed annually as part of the Budget process and were increased in Budget 2024.

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides 2 years of free pre-school for 3 hours per day, 5 days per week to all children in the eligible age range (between 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months).

Other actions being progressed by my colleagues in Government include progress on addressing Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) with the implementation of Zero Tolerance: the Third National Strategy on DSGBV progressing and Cuan, the dedicated Domestic Violence Agency, set up and running.

Cuan's functions include: the responsibility for co-ordinating and overseeing all actions set out in the third national strategy on the DSGBV; delivering key services to victims of domestic violence; and leading on an awareness-raising campaign, which was also set out within the Joint Oireachtas Committee's report.

In the context of another key action under the third national strategy, the Online Safety and Media Regulations Act was enacted in December 2022 and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 was approved by both houses and enacted in July last year.

My Department introduced domestic violence leave in November 2023. Ireland becomes one of the first countries in Europe to provide for paid leave for victims of domestic violence. Five days' leave per year came in from November 2023. Employees who are experiencing domestic violence can now access five days' paid leave to help them to access necessary supports without loss of income while accessing those supports.

Progress has also been made to empower women of diverse backgrounds to participate in politics, leadership and public life, at all levels of decision-making. In this regard, the statutory minimum gender quota for men and women candidates from political parties standing for election increased from 30% to 40% in February 2023. In December 2022, statutory maternity leave for councillors was introduced for the first time, and from November 2024, all members of the Oireachtas are now entitled to statutory maternity leave.

Many more of the recommendations from the Citizens Assembly and the Joint Oireachtas Committee have been achieved, or are currently in progress. The Next National Strategy for Women and Girls aims to continue this vital work to achieve a more equal society for all.