Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish Members a happy International Women's day. European International Women's Day dates back to 1911, which is 111 years ago. The UN first formally observed a global day of recognition in 1977, 45 years ago. Regrettably, we are nowhere reaching its target. While the world has changed dramatically in the years since the first days marking this occasion, and many improvements at home and abroad for women and girls have indeed been made, it occurs to me that more men need to become heavily involved in achieving the goals that are outlined within the movement, including delivering an equal society between both genders, and that barriers need to be removed not just within our society but also within this House, as my colleague Deputy Richmond highlighted. We recognise that progress has been made, but it does serve as a reminder that a considerable body of work is yet to be achieved. If we are truly honest with ourselves, it remains a sad reality that men and boys in Ireland today lead safer lives, largely free from worry or even consideration of harassment or unsolicited attention.

They will not have to worry about impacts on their careers resulting from childbirth and rearing children.

In an illustration of the scale of where we are today, the Central Statistics Office, CSO, reported that in 2019 only 26% of senior roles in large enterprises were held by women. Only 11.5% of CEO positions and just 19.6% of board positions are held by women, while a meagre 7.4% of chairperson positions on those boards are held by women. In 2018, 98.8% of recipients of the one-parent-family payment were women. That is nearly all of the 39,000 people in receipt of that payment. Those are just a taste of the realities faced by women in Ireland today, that is, that family responsibilities still fall too often on women alone and that top-level positions occupied by women remain too much of a rarity in comparison with their male counterparts.

Despite the stark nature of these statistics, we have made progress on this issue in recent years. Improving gender equality in Ireland is an increasing priority for this Government and I believe there is a broad consensus on the issue across this House. The Gender Pay Gap Information Act and the Irish Corporate Governance (Gender Balance) Bill 2021 introduced to this House by my colleague Deputy Higgins are all examples of that progress, as well as expanding the rights of women over their reproductive rights. There can be no doubt that empowering women and elevating them to leadership positions across society will benefit the entire country. Our job in the weeks, months and years ahead is to ensure we are creating a country that is as open and as progressive as possible and that we bring in legislation that moves us closer to full gender equality.

Of course, legislation alone will not resolve many of the issues that remain. We need an open and frank discussion in respect of gender imbalance in Ireland. That is why I referred earlier to men having to play a greater role in accepting and addressing that issue. There is an epidemic of gender-based violence. I see no other way of describing the increasing trends in domestic violence calls to An Garda Síochána, the rising levels of anti-social behaviour and the casual sexism that has permeated through homes, businesses and social settings across Ireland for many years. To tackle these issues, we must engage with all levels of society in different circumstances. We have to engage in extensive educational supports that can begin to show these unacceptable behaviours for what they are. We need the institutions of the State to reflect the modern country we have become and want to become. I recently spoke in this House on the problematic patriarchal and engendered culture within the Defence Forces but the issue is not limited to that particular arm of the State. The Constitution is something that most Members of this House hold dear, yet we are aware of the deeply insulting and problematic language contained within certain sections of it. I have been listening to that being debated in this House since I joined it in 2011, yet we do not appear to be any closer to holding a referendum on it. Article 41.2.1°, commonly known as the women’s place in the home clause, has been discussed for many years, as I mentioned. Even if it is symbolic, it must be addressed, and promptly.

I look forward to the forthcoming publication of the third national strategy on sexual, domestic and gender-based violence which my colleague the Minister, Deputy McEntee, has been preparing and remains committed to implementing. It is an important step in planning our approach to tackling gender-based violence in the coming years.

In the few moments I have remaining, I wish to mention a delegation of Oireachtas Members of all parties and none that attended the Russian Embassy this morning alongside the Ukrainian ambassador, H.E. Larysa Gerasko. I apologise if I mangled the pronunciation of the ambassador's name. I was taken by a young woman who was there. She is not Ukrainian but is from eastern Europe. She spoke of the women of Ukraine who are currently facing war and are protecting their families, often without their partners who are engaged in the war. If the women themselves are not engaged in the war, they are protecting their families. The courage they, and indeed women in other war-torn regions such as Afghanistan and Yemen, demonstrate for all of society must be commended and remembered on this day.

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