Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for his response. We need to increase awareness and highlight the role of women in Irish history, including the impact and contribution they made to the political, academic, economic, social and cultural life of the country. From the Minister's response it is clear that this is the year for us to take the opportunity to do that.

I wish to acknowledge the input of my friend, Margaret Hogan, an historian from Birr, County Offaly, who gave me some material on this and enabled me to give an accurate account of what happened at that time. I will be parochial to relate an interesting story. Some of the prisoners were moved from Dublin to take the political heat from them. They were moved to Tullamore, County Offaly. It was reported that in 1913 the Tullamore Urban Council passed a resolution demanding political treatment for Irish suffragette prisoners.

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