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Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, Josepha Madigan ,will visit Paris on 14 February to take part in the Embassy of Ireland annual St Brigid’s Day celebrations.
Minister Madigan will be the guest speaker, alongside the French Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities, Élisabeth Moreno, at an event co-hosted by the Embassy of Ireland and the Franco-Irish Business Network entitled “Role Models for Change: a Ireland-France dialogue on gender equality and diversity”.
The event will bring together Irish and French civil society leaders to discuss the work underway by both governments to promote gender equality and diversity and to combat violence against women. Minister Madigan will have a bilateral meeting with Minister Moreno before the event.
Minister Madigan’s programme will also provide an opportunity to visit a vocational secondary school in the Paris region. She will meet with teachers and students for exchange about Ireland and will learn about the French Priority Education Network, which supports schools located in disadvantaged areas. The secondary school is an example of innovative educational practices in France as it includes a centre for integration of students with disabilities and additional needs and participates in partnerships with private sector mentoring programmes.
Speaking during her visit Minister Madigan said:
“I am delighted to take part in this important discussion with the French Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities, Élisabeth Moreno, and to hear about what France has achieved in recent years in combatting violence against women as part of its national campaign. Tackling violence against women is a major priority for the government as we seek to bring about societal and cultural change by tackling the root causes of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in our upcoming national strategy.
“I look forward to engaging with French and Irish leaders who are driving change in their different areas of expertise and learning from their insights and experience. It is valuable to be able to share the insights we in Ireland have gained in recent years through our experience of how greater diversity and inclusion has been achieved in Irish society. As Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, I also welcome the opportunity to visit Lycée Theodore Monod and to see first-hand the great work the school community does in relation to diversity and inclusion, particularly for students with additional needs. This exchange of ideas and experiences will be something I hope to take back with me to Ireland and to inform future policy-making as part of my role.
“Strengthening our political and trade links with France, our closest EU neighbour and major trade partner, is a key pillar of Ireland’s ambitious Plan of Action for deepening relations with France as announced during President Macron’s visit to Ireland in August 2021. Political and business engagements such as today’s event raise Ireland’s profile in France and further our mutual understanding of each other’s policy priorities.”
Ireland and France agreed a Joint Plan of Action (2021-2025) to strengthen and deepen relations between the two countries across a range of cultural, educational, trade and political activities. The plan was signed by Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs during the visit of President Macron to Ireland in August 2021.