Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish I could say that women have always been treated fairly and equally by this State but it is important to acknowledge that this country has curtailed progress on women's rights at various points. We need only look at last night's "RTÉ Investigates" programme about illegal adoptions for yet another unearthing of discrimination. It is maddening to see how the State, and particularly Governments of the past, failed to protect and advocate for the rights of women. This, of course, follows on from the hurt and pain already detailed by survivors of the mother and baby homes. This showed how the State turned its back on women and children of this country and left them to suffer behind walled institutions.

In 2021, I would hope we do not face the same the level of discrimination and misogyny but I know this would not be the full truth. We are only codding ourselves if we think we have achieved full equality. However, I know we are making progress and while it is taking longer than I would like, I am confident we will get there.

When we look at how Covid has impacted women, there has undoubtedly been added strain on mothers. On top of their full-time job, many have had to take up the role of teacher, carer, cook, cleaner and counsellor.

I also want to recognise the unbelievable contribution of carers, many of whom are women. Carers have been particularly stretched over the past year. For most, the essential work they do as carers is their sole job and it is not an easy one. Sometimes carers do not receive the thanks they should but I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for the Trojan work they do looking after some of our most vulnerable.

I must also acknowledge the intense pressure that disabled women have faced over the past 12 months. In some ways, the impact Covid has had and the way it has halted access to many elements of our society, has highlighted some of the obstacles women with disabilities, and indeed the wider disability population, faced in pre-Covid times. It brings to mind an interview that was done with the parent of a child with a disability last summer. She said that what Covid gave the rest of the society was an understanding of the world they lived in. Having a lockdown did not really impact on them because they themselves had their challenges even when we did not have a lockdown. It was to give wider society an understanding of what is laid out for families with persons with disabilities and challenges.

This Government is committed to full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The draft initial State report has been published. I would encourage everyone to make a submission, whether it relates to women with disabilities or any of the provisions of the Convention. I am keen for the State report to capture all stakeholder voices.

The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman has noted the risk of unemployment for many women during Covid-19. Women also make up the majority of front-line healthcare and retail workers who have kept this country running during the pandemic. Figures from the European Institute for Gender Equality indicate that a majority of workers delivering essential services in Europe in the crisis are women, including 76% of doctors, nurses, midwives and staff in residential care homes, 82% of cashiers, 93% of child care workers and teachers, 95% of domestic cleaners and helpers and 86% of personal care workers.

I pay tribute today to those women – doctors, nurses, care assistants, cleaners, cooks, shop assistants and teachers – who have gone out to work every day for the past year, often at great hardship to their own families, and have allowed us to maintain the restrictions needed to keep everyone in the country safe.

The pandemic has highlighted to us that we need to do more to support women in the workforce and encourage them to take on leadership positions and let their voices be heard. We know that women must be part of decision making on the issues which affect us all, and the response to the pandemic is no different.

This is a timely debate and one that needs to continue as we find our way through this pandemic and into our economic and social recovery. Gender equality is more important than ever as we navigate this crisis and we must be vigilant to ensure that it does not compound existing inequalities in our society. A recovery will not be a recovery if there are those who are not feeling the benefits.

I also would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the importance of the roles women play in leadership within politics. In fairness, in 2020, we had our general election and it was fantastic to see new female representatives joining me and Deputy Butler, who had not been here previously. We need to encourage female participation, be it at local level or national level. We need to have that voice there. We make up 51% of the population but, unfortunately, that is not reflected at local level or at national level.

If I would fault one area in the past 12 months where we have had decision making going on, it would be that we have not had that female voice when we needed conversations around how, at the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, health was being discussed. Women need to be at the table. In all fairness, lessons need to be learned from Covid. Anything that was wrong in society before the onset of Covid was exacerbated during Covid and the only way we can learn is to reset the dial on economic and social issues as we come out of it.

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