asked the Taoiseach when and how he will publish the progress reports prepared by each Minister, with the exception of the Minister for Tourism and Transport, on measures to advance the position of women within each of their areas of responsibility as announced in the EC publication Women of Europe; and if these reports will be published every six months.

The progress reports on measures to advance the position of women in the areas of responsibility of each Government Minister will be examined and co-ordinated when received in my Department next month. I would propose that a composite progress report be issued in September with further similar reports at six-monthly intervals thereafter.

I am glad to hear the Taoiseach saying these reports will be published in September and I compliment his Department and the Minister of State on making that announcement in Women of Europe magazine which I came across recently. Would the Taoiseach agree that there are two yardsticks against which Ministers can plan and chart their progress in this area? One is something the Taoiseach knows about already, the reports of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Women's Rights of which the Taoiseach was a member, and the second is the agenda for practical action published by the previous Taoiseach's Department in February 1985 which had a detailed plan of action in each area. Would the Taoiseach instruct each Minister to appoint a senior official to study those documents and measure and report progress against the recommendations in those reports?

Yes, I will look favourably on that suggestion. I am not sure whether it would be a senior official or whether it should not be done within the Minister's office, but I think the idea is worth while for a concrete measure of progress.