Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the speakers. All of us here, in particular the women, have seen the challenges.

Like many, I was a county councillor for over 20 years. Then I became a Senator and am now a Deputy. My battle to get where I am today was a lot harder than it would have been had I been a man. That is the reality and we see it every day. While all women here are so proud to have been Deputies, Senators or councillors, there are challenges every day. Sometimes you think it can be a man's world. Even when speaking to officials in Departments, speaking in general and looking for various things, there are challenges. It is a matter of how we as women change the mindset and encourage young women to enter politics from an early stage. I welcome education, which is so important, as is ensuring women have the opportunities. In this regard, we have spoken about childcare.

Do the guests feel women need to support women more? I believe there is a huge issue in this regard. Do the guests believe women are not confident? Do they believe that, because of the challenges, all of us may be disadvantaged in this regard? I am not referring to politics alone but also to our daily lives. It was mentioned that there were considerable challenges during the Covid pandemic. We saw the role women played. Women, in particular, are very much involved in their communities. Men are, too, but I am talking only about women today. I just do not know. When it comes to all aspects of life, whether they relate to the Garda or women in leadership roles, how can we effect change and promote further participation by women? I always encourage women to get involved in things but there have been major challenges in my area, namely, politics, particularly in the past few years. These have included negativity on Facebook and how much we do. In my area, I come across them. I feel women can change and make a change in society. They will play a huge part.

Countess Markievicz was referred to. She had a major influence on women in politics. We have seen the changes she made over 100 years ago but we now need to make bigger changes. How do we do that?

Well done to all our guests. They are doing a great job. We are all trying to do our best. I am a firm believer that when women are put on the ticket for local, general or European elections, they are put on it to be elected for the work they do and the love they have. Nobody should be put on a ticket to be a token, as we have spoken about. I firmly believe that when you find your place in life, whether you are a woman or man, it is because you have earned it, deserve it and have put the work in. However, the challenges women must face are harder to address than those of men, and we have to ensure they are eliminated. If there are two things that our guests feel would make a change for women in society, what are they?

I thank the guests. It was not easy for any of us, particularly women, to get to this point. I am very passionate about this subject and go to schools when I can to speak about women in politics and encouraging women in politics. There may be something more that we need to do in this regard. Women can and will make the difference, in all walks of life. The guests might answer some of my questions. I thank them for all the work they are doing. It is crucial.