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

I knew I would get two rounds. I talked to a woman recently who is very high up in the corporate world. I was talking to her regarding her child not getting a seat on the school bus service. She raised the issue that the lack of support from the State affects her being able to hold onto her job, and the gap that exists between announcing new policy and the delivery of it. I ask Ms Harford to give some information on how these companies give women practical support.

It is still a fact that the imbalance of care falls on women. That is not always men's fault. Sometimes it is our kids' fault as well because kids want mammy when they are sick.

I disagree on the floor and ceiling. Encouragement is all very intangible and abstract and quotas cannot be achieved without will. We had no gender quotas in the North but Sinn Féin was able to get 50% female representation in the Assembly without a quota because the will was there. Without getting women up at the decision-making tables, I worry about how we are going to change the will and the culture of corporations. Ms Harford mentioned when quotas were introduced in Norway. I ask her to give me a bit more detail on that because I do not understand how that happened. I am not afraid to say when I do not understand something.

I have another question for Women on Air. There is a recent study to which Senator Boylan has made reference. It showed that 65% of female journalists have experienced violent threats, sexual threats and intimidation but 31% of them experienced that in their workplace. What kind of support is there in that regard for women working in journalism?

My last questions are for Ms Joyce. I referred to the gaps in the supports the Government can provide. What are the specific and immediate needs of Travellers and other minorities in order that we can get that joined-up policy delivery and all that? Ms Joyce mentioned a few cases. I am not going to mention any cases but normalising prison sentences in any family is appalling. It should not be happening. That is something we should be looking at. As well as the inconvenience of mammy not being there because she is in prison for not paying a fine, prison becomes normalised for their kids. It is just appalling. We absolutely need education for judges on that.