Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

This debate is taking place at 9.50 p.m. Those of us fortunate enough to live in the Dublin region will be able to travel home tonight, whereas at least two of the Deputies present have probably been away from home for the past couple of days. This is not easy for men or women and much more could be done to make parliamentary structures more family friendly. While such changes could encourage more women to become involved in politics, this is a major cultural issue. We made significant strides in this regard in the 1980s but have slipped back since then. Political representation is a wider issue than the pharmacy profession and not one for this debate.

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