Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 29 September 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality

Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion

Photo of Réada CroninRéada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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In his opening statement, the Minister acknowledged that collective bargaining is an important element for ensuring stable industrial relations in Ireland. Under the EU directive, which we discussed last week with ICTU, member states that do not have enough collective bargaining are being obliged to ensure that there is. Deputy Bríd Smith mentioned two Bills that are going through the Houses. I would like the Minister to push them and to do so when he becomes Taoiseach. We discuss gender issues in a privileged situation here whereas most women outside these walls are trying to make ends meet and we can see how public services are so essential to making a working woman's life work. For example, during the bus scoile fiasco women have constantly told me that they would have to give up their work because they are getting in trouble with their bosses for being late to work because buses did not turn up and their children had not been collected. Women have told me how such situations have an impact on their working lives. The State, if it wants women working, must ensure that public services function in a satisfactory way.