Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to have this opportunity to speak on International Women's Day. Last week I was invited by students from Lucan Community College to hear their presentation on how church and State relations continue to affect women's rights in Ireland. Taking on board what Deputy Richmond was saying, we have an obligation in this House to encourage all young people to get involved. I said that if I had an opportunity to do so, I would let their voices be heard in the Dáil. Amber and Chloe, under the supervision of their teacher, Ms Mulhern, gave me a comprehensive report on how the church and State still affect women's rights today. They gave me a history of contraception in Ireland from its prohibition to today, when there are still forms of financial prohibition, with a cost of up to €20 monthly for the contraceptive pill and a further €50 for doctors' fees and prescription charges. The students welcomed the fact that there will be free contraception available in Ireland for women between 17 and 25 from later this year. However, they pointed out that the average age at which a woman stops menstruating is 50 and that while the pill is a contraceptive, it also helps to regulate menstruation. On that note, I acknowledge Ms Claire Hunt of Homeless Period Ireland, with whom I did a fair bit of work over the years, for providing free period products to girls and women who need them. Periods happen every month. I cannot wait for the day when a service such as Homeless Period Ireland is no longer needed and women and girls can avail of free period products when and where they need them.

The pupils I was speaking to mentioned that while the repeal of the eighth amendment was really welcome, safe access zones need to be in place. We cannot have anti-choice protests, intimidatory behaviour and inappropriate communications about abortion at the zones. These need to be prohibited.

Time does not allow me to talk about all I would like to talk about today so I will finish with the words of our party leader, Deputy McDonald. At the weekend, she stated women demand the right "to explore every horizon, to reach for every dream, we demand the right to be free, to be ourselves, without fear, without apology and without humiliation — the right to live a full and free life together". I do not believe that is too much to ask for in modern-day society.

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