Minister Kelly and Minister Fitzgerald collaborate on a support scheme to enhance inclusion of women in communities
Issued : Monday 2 March, 2015
Alan Kelly, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, and Ms. Frances Fitzgerald, Minister for Justice and Equality, collaborate on a support scheme to enhance inclusion of women in communities
Mr. Alan Kelly, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, and Ms. Frances Fitzgerald, Minister for Justice and Equality, along with their colleagues Minister of State Ann Phelan and Minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, have further demonstrated the Government’s commitment to social inclusion and community development and announced the continuation of a scheme to promote social inclusion and equality for women. The Scheme will in the future operate under the aegis of the Department of Justice and Equality.
The scheme is based on the work of the National Collective of Community Based Women’s Networks (NCCWN) and is aimed at promoting equality between men and women and to ensuring that women can achieve their full potential while enjoying a safe and fulfilling life.
Minister Kelly emphasised that both Departments are fully committed to ensuring that the delivery of the range of supports, currently provided through his Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP), are maintained in the Department of Justice and Equality led scheme.
Minister Fitzgerald confirmed that the scheme will continue to give a voice to women and will help to address poverty, social exclusion and gender inequality experienced by women. The scheme will be subject to on-going review by the Department of Justice and Equality and to such changes as may be appropriate.
Minister Kelly has confirmed that his Department is contributing significant funding to the scheme to maintain funding at close to his Department’s 2014 levels to the NCCWN.
Minister O Riordáin said he was pleased to be taking over responsibility for the scheme as this will ensure the continuation of the good work which has been done to date with its assistance.
Editors Note;
The National Collective of Community Based Women’s Networks NCCWN is an important, established and experienced element of the infrastructure to promote equality for women and was the vehicle chosen to implement the Local Community Development Programme (LCDP). LDCP funding has enabled NCCWN to employ a core staff of 44 women and to also lever in additional funding to coordinate and run development programmes including Equality for Women, health and wellbeing, active citizenship, community education, domestic abuse support and progression pathways to training and employment. The services NCCWN provide include childcare centres, drop-in/information centres and affordable accessible counselling. This has resulted in the additional employment of approximately 200 people, managed and coordinated by NCCWN staff and all working to increase women’s participation.
Responsibility for supports to women under this scheme will now become a function of the Department of Justice and Equality. This will entail a significant contribution from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government being made through the permanent allocation, already voted for through LCDP and SSNO, amounting to some €1.4 million, to the Department of Justice and Equality vote to support the revised scheme.
