Minister Foley Launches National Strategy for Women and Girls 5 Year Whole-of-Government Plan to level the playing field
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Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley has today launched the new 5-year National Strategy for Women and Girls.
Equality between women and men is a fundamental principle of public policy in Ireland. Advances made in recent years have dismantled barriers to women’s full participation and addressed many inequalities women face.
This whole-of-Government plan aims to level the playing field for women and girls of all ages and backgrounds by eliminating all forms of discrimination against them.
This will increase their opportunities, expand their freedoms and, ultimately, improve their wellbeing.
The Strategy has seven key goals to create a gender equal society.
- Women can pursue their ambition and achieve their potential in any field.
- Women can live free of violence and harassment.
- Women have their fair share of economic and financial power.
- Women are enabled to enjoy wellbeing throughout their lives.
- Women are supported when they give care and when they need care.
- Women can live free of harmful gender norms and stereotypes.
- The needs of women are taken into account in the design of policies and laws.
Minister Foley said:
"Equality between women and men has been a core principle of public policy and law here for a long time. Successive governments have worked to remove barriers to women’s full participation in our country.
Ireland today is a very different place for women and girls– in so many ways a better, fairer place than it was in our mothers’ and certainly in our grandmothers’ times. But there is much, much more we need to do. Across all measures of gender equality, we still have some distance to go to reach our goal.
Through this whole-of-government strategy, we will boost women’s access to employment, encourage more girls to study STEM and business subjects and improve childcare and family leave.
We will also support women’s cultural, social, and sporting participation at all life stages; and combat harmful stereotypes. These actions will give women and girls practical help to overcome inequalities in their daily lives.”
Employers with over 50 employees are legally required to report gender pay gap information on their websites, as required by the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021. The new portal will bring this data together in a central location to improve understanding of the gender pay gap and how it can be reduced.
Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality, Carlien Scheele, also attended the launch today.
Ms. Scheele said:
“As the EU’s Agency for gender equality, we are proud to offer our seal of approval for this strategy, because it truly embraces the values of the EU. I applaud the distinct personalisation approach, with the all-important use of the ‘first person’ in addressing the lived experiences of women and girls. Putting the individual at the heart of the strategy is powerful. And it makes the concept of gender equality a reality – not an abstract concept that doesn’t touch our lives. I hope that by 2030, Ireland is not only ahead of the curve on its progress in gender equality but leading by example for the rest of Europe.”
The Strategy sets out detailed objectives for achieving its seven goals. Detailed actions to be carried out will be set out in two Action Plans, the first of which is due to be adopted in January 2026. The Strategy will be implemented by all Government Departments and State Agencies, in partnership with civil society organisations.
ENDS
Notes for Editors
National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030
The National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030 is a Whole-of-Government framework for action to advance gender equality across all areas of public policy.
The Strategy was developed in consultation with civil society stakeholders and was informed by the recommendations of the Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality and the Report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality. It also reflects the recommendations to Ireland of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, and it is aligned with the EU Roadmap for Women’s Rights.
Implementation of the Strategy will be guided by two Action Plans, the first of which will be adopted by Government in early 2026 and will cover the period 2026-2028.
European Institute for Gender Equality
Today’s launch was also addressed by Carlien Scheele, Director of European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in Vilnius, Lithuania.
EIGE is the EU’s knowledge centre on Gender Equality. By providing reliable and policy-oriented data and information, it supports the EU and its Member States to strengthen the promotion of gender equality.
At EIGE’s helm since February 2020, Carlien Scheele oversees the Institute's strategic programmes of activities and budgets. She aims to cement EIGE’s position as the EU’s knowledge centre on gender equality and deepen collaboration within and beyond Europe.
Before taking up her post at EIGE, Carlien Scheele worked as a Senior Gender Equality Adviser/Senior Human Resources Adviser in the Council of Europe, seconded from the Dutch government.
Previously, she worked as the Director for Gender and LGBT Equality for the Dutch government, where she coordinated the national gender and LGBT equality policies.
Gender Pay Gap Portal
Minister Foley also announced the opening of the Gender Pay Gap Portal today.
The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 introduced the legislative basis for annual gender pay gap reporting in Ireland.
The Regulations under the Act require organisations with over 250 employees to report on their gender pay gap across a range of metrics and publish a statement setting out, in the employers’ opinion, the reasons for the gender pay gap in their company and what measures are being taken, or proposed to be taken, to eliminate or reduce that pay gap. Organisations with over 150 employees were required to report from 2024, while those with over 50 employees are required to report this year.
The Gender Pay Gap Portal launched on a voluntary basis on 18 November 2025, to select employers who have received an invitation link from partner organisations Ibec and the 30% Club. A link is also available on the Department’s webpage for employers in scope of the legislation who wish to report on their gender pay gaps on a voluntary basis.
Gender Pay Gap reports that are submitted on a voluntary basis will be published and will become accessible for the public to see, compare and review in the coming months. They will remain on the Portal when it becomes mandatory for all employers in scope of the legislation in 2026.
The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 will be amended to make it a legislative requirement for all employers in scope of the legislation to submit their reports to the Gender Pay Gap portal for the 2026 reporting cycle. It is important to note that relevant employers are required to publish their Gender Pay Gap Information to their website in 2025, or to make it available to the public in some other manner where they do not have a website.
Launch Event
The launch of the National Strategy for Women and Girls took place in Dublin on 18 November 2025. It was attended by representatives of government and civil society organisations working in areas related to gender equality. In addition to Minister Foley and the EIGE Director, the event was addressed by:
- Hope and Sheenagh, delegates from the National Youth Assembly on Gender Equality.
- Lynne Cantwell, former Irish rugby international and current Head of Women’s Strategy in the IRFU. Ms. Cantwell holds the record as the most capped Irish Women's player with 86 caps to her name.
- Joanne O’Riordan, activist for people with disabilities, a motivational speaker and a sports columnist with The Irish Times. Ms O’Riordan was named Young Person of the Year 2012 and appears in the 2013 documentary, No Limbs No Limits.
- Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise Murphy, 2025 BT Young Scientist winners. Their project called 'Aid Care Treat', is a medical assistance app designed to support emergency healthcare response.
- The Lighthouse Project Choir from Ballymun in Dublin also performed at the launch event.