National Women's Strategy Launched With 148 Million Euro To Foster Gender Equality

Last week the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, T.D., launched a new National Women's Strategy for the next ten years. The National Women's Strategy is the first comprehensive Strategy developed to address the needs of women in Ireland.  It sets out 20 key objectives and over 200 actions to address all facets of women's lives.

Speaking at the launch of the Strategy, the Taoiseach pledged the Government's commitment to its implementation.  He pointed to the funding package of over €148 million set aside to address gender equality during the lifetime of the new National Development Plan of which €58 million will specifically fund initiatives under the new Strategy. 

The Taoiseach said "The National Women's Strategy aims to build on the vital contribution women make in all areas of Irish society.  Women have long been the lynchpin in the Irish family and Irish society.  The fact that so many now also work outside the home has made a significant contribution to the growth we know as the Celtic Tiger.  The numbers of women in the workforce has almost doubled over the past ten years.  The Government recognises that life is not easy for working mothers and the Strategy contains actions and targets which aim to address those challenges.

"Some thirty years after the introduction of our equality legislation, relatively few women have yet risen to key decision-making positions in Irish life.  This Strategy contains a range of training, mentoring and networking initiatives to encourage more women to contribute more frequently at the highest levels in Irish life.  The Government is determined to ensure that progress is made rapidly but also that the Strategy is realistic and responsive to the changing needs of women in Ireland."

Also announcing the establishment of a new Office to prevent domestic violence, Tánaiste Michael McDowell said, "The Government is of the view that the crime that is domestic violence needs to be addressed more purposefully and has approved my proposal to establish a new Executive Office to provide enhanced co-ordination and leadership to address the problem of domestic violence and violence against women.

The new office will be called COSC - Irish Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and will include violence in the home against men and children as part of its responsibilities.  Its objective will be to achieve a significant reduction in this despicable crime."