Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

A society which experiences 244 femicides in 25 years is a sick society that needs radical change. What kind of change? We need programmes in our schools that educate against sexism, misogyny and male violence against women. We need to teach consent. We need schools to bring young people of all genders together. We need an end to single-sex education. We need an end to religious control of schools. We need to separate church and State. We need to end sexism in the legal system. Victim-blaming and rape myths have no place in courtrooms. A public inquiry needs to be organised on the 999 call scandal.

We need funding for change. We should triple the funds to women's refuges, domestic violence services and other front-line services. We must massively increase funding for mental health services and build public housing on such a scale that a new home can be offered to every victim of violence currently living in a home in which they are trapped. We must not let finance stand in the way. The wealth of Ireland's nine billionaires has increased by 58% since the start of the pandemic to nearly €50 billion. A mere 3% tax on wealth above €4 million would raise €8 billion in new revenue for Irish society. It is time to tax the rich.

Last but not least: a cactus grows in the desert and a rose blooms in good soil. What is the societal soil in which sexism and misogyny flourish? I put it to the House that these weeds grow best in a society that is based on inequality and oppression. If we want to have a serious debate about sexism, misogyny and gender-based violence, we must have a serious debate about the patriarchal system of capitalism. I look forward to that debate in the weeks and months ahead.

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