2586. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has undertaken any assessment of differences in farm income between male and female farm holders; if so, the findings of that assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57186/26]

2588. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total funding allocated by his Department specifically to programmes supporting women in farming over the past five years; the projects funded; the outcome achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57188/26]

2589. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to publish a dedicated strategy for women in agriculture; the timeline for such a strategy; the targets that will be established to land ownership, succession, leadership and scheme participation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57189/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2586, 2588 and 2589 together.

Gender equality in agriculture is a priority of mine and features in the Programme for Government. It is a core element of Ireland’s domestic policy framework, including Food Vision 2030.

Since my appointment as Minister for Agriculture I have prioritised increased participation and visibility of women in agriculture. Key measures include implementation of the Women in Agriculture Action Plan; 60% grant aid for women farmers under CAP investment schemes; women-only Knowledge Transfer Groups, mentorship and leadership initiatives; and ongoing work to address succession barriers that disproportionately affect women. Ireland is one of only two member states to have specific measures under the CAP Strategic Plan to improve gender equality.

With regards to farm incomes and farm holders, women represent 13.2% of farm holders in Ireland. HER-SELF (or Highlighting pathways to Empower Rural women to have Sustainable and Equitable Livelihoods in Farming), a study on women in agriculture led by researchers at Maynooth University and funded by my Department, provided an in-depth profile of female farmers in Ireland, identifying the barriers they face and recommending policy changes to tackle them. It included an analysis of data from the Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS) that indicates that on average over the 15-year time period between 2005-2020, female farm holders had annually €7,342 (30%) less farm income than their male counterparts.

The National Action Plan on Women in Agriculture (2024) represents a significant and welcome step forward for gender balance in Irish Agriculture. Several initiatives have been delivered to address issues across areas such as leadership and visibility, education and awareness, financial and legal matters including farm succession, and sustainability. Implementation of the Action Plan is nearing completion, and a report will be published in due course.

This year’s focus is on the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF) 2026. Ireland’s co-sponsorship of the launch event at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reflects our national commitment to advancing gender equality across the agri-food sector and to strengthening the visibility of women’s leadership in food systems.

A conference to celebrate International Women's Day and launch IYWF in Ireland was held in March. I was delighted to announce Carina Roseingrave as our IYWF Ambassador, and to announce the winners of a photo competition, highlighting the importance of gender inclusive imagery in agriculture.

We are also delivering a series of free events to celebrate International Year of the Woman Farmer, which I announced last month, focusing on the importance of farm safety, health and wellbeing and exploring the areas of education and training, financial awareness and farm diversification.

A breakdown of recent funding for female initiatives within my Department is as follows: