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The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald TD and the Minister of State with special responsibility for Equality, Immigration and Integration, David Stanton TD, today launched a public consultation on the forthcoming National Women's Strategy. The consultation will be open from today, 23 November 2016 until Friday 27 January 2017 at 5pm.

The Strategy will set out the Government's high level policy priorities for women and girls up to 2020.

Commenting at the launch, the Tánaiste said: “I am delighted to launch this public consultation. The Government has made a strong commitment to promoting equality for women and girls. The National Women’s Strategy will be the framework for action to tackle barriers which limit women’s opportunities across a range of areas.”

Minister Stanton added: "Irish society has changed significantly over the past decade. We have made some advances to improve the lives of women and girls but it is clear that a lot more needs to be done. Now is the chance to have your say and to inform Government policy on this fundamentally important issue".

The Tánaiste added: “I want to hear from women and men across the country about how we can advance women’s equality. The consultation will offer a chance to individuals and organisations to put forward ideas and to highlight the issues that still need to be addressed. This is our chance to set the blueprint on women’s equality for the years ahead.”

Contributions may be made by written submission, with details available at www.genderequality.ie. Public consultation events on the new Strategy will take place in a number of locations in December and January. Details of dates and venues will be announced shortly on www.genderequality.ie.

It is expected that the Strategy will be finalised and launched early in 2017.

Notes to Editors

The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to publish an updated National Women’s Strategy by end 2016, succeeding the present National Women’s Strategy which concludes at the end of the year. The new Strategy will operate within a new Integrated Framework for Social Inclusion, also announced in the Programme for a Partnership Government.