Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an cathaoirleach. I thank our guests for all their presentations.

Senator Lynn Boylan, when an MEP , commissioned an independent report into gender equality in the media sector. The Senator's report found that while 68% of graduates of media and journalism were female, they were severely underrepresented in journalism on the radio, in newspapers, etc.

It is important that we remember we are talking about diversity in the media and in society as well, and women are not one homogenous group. There is diversity. We have different interests. We have different backgrounds. We have different incomes. I would like to talk about women with disabilities, the women from less well-off backgrounds, older women and Traveller women. Certainly, one rarely hears the voice of a Traveller on the national media unless he or she is there to apologise for something someone else did.

I have listened to a fair few podcasts. Often I would be busy and I would be trying to catch up on housework or whatever at the same time, or cooking. I listen to Ms RoseMarie Maughan a lot on podcasts and she is amazing. I might be busy but I will sit down if she is on and listen to her because she is enthralling to listen to. Ms Anne Marie Quilligan also features a lot on podcasts, in particular, the Echo Chamber Podcast, which is a left-wing podcast. They are really interesting as well when one looks at what Dr. Sindy Joyce has achieved in Limerick. I have heard Mr. Martin "Beanz" Warde. He has been on RTÉ a bit recently but there are not enough Traveller women on.

Given that we are in a cost-of-living crisis, diversity of women in the media is important. I am certainly sick of hearing well-off men telling us about economising. It is a bit like teaching your granny how to suck eggs because less well-off people know well how to economise. It is important that there is diversity in those women on air.