Ms Amanda McCloat:

The Senator made a good point. Current statistics indicate that of the 36% of people studying home economics, the majority are female. That is not a reflection on the subject but more down to the fact it is often scheduled in schools against what would traditionally be perceived as "male" subjects such as wood technology. If it was made available to all students, it would remove the stigma of a boy doing the subject. With the new specification coming on-stream for junior cycle in September 2018, it comes from a life skills approach and there are no inflictions that males or females should look at a particular aspect. Home economics teachers are conscious of the students in front of them and do not stereotype roles in the home. By making it compulsory, the stereotypical notion of who should be studying the subject would be removed.

Japan has had compulsory home economics for males and females since 1989. It had a traditional gendered, segregated society and it faced the same challenge of having males coming in to work with textiles, cooking, and learning about child rearing and development. They overcame the challenge with the idea that everybody had to do it because it is important for everybody's home life, no matter what type of family. It overcame the issue in 1989 and I am sure it is not insurmountable for Irish society to do so in future.