Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Táim sásta deis a bheith agam labhairt ar Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan agus é a cheiliúradh. The truth is that gender equality or, more properly, gender inequality comes into almost every aspect of our lives. This year on International Women's Day we focus on breaking the bias, stop a chur leis an gclaonadh i dtreo dearcadh nó gníomh áirithe nó cinneadh. We must break the bias in society. We must break the bias in childcare. The crippling costs of childcare push many women, particularly single mothers, out of their careers, while early years educators are still facing unfair pay and precarious employment. We must break the bias in education, where girls are less likely to get an autism spectrum disorder, ASD diagnosis and a lack of action on period poverty means many young women miss out on days of school every month. We must break the bias in workplaces. In politics, female Deputies, Senators and councillors still have no proper maternity leave scheme in place. We must break the bias in the healthcare system, where women are waiting years for crucial and sometimes lifesaving gynaecological appointments agus go bhfuil tacaíocht mar is cuí fós á diúltú do mná atá ag iompar clainne ag coinní máithreachais. We must break the bias for women escaping domestic violence. Despite increasing demand for refuges in the past five years, shelters such as Mná Feasa in Cork actually saw a 12% decrease in funding. Ó thaobh dlí agus cirt, na meáin, spórt agus gach áit, caithfimid an claonadh a bhriseadh.

On this International Women's Day, we remember those who have suffered violence against women, such as Ashling Murphy and thousands more. We must commit to not allowing this issue to slip off the agenda today, tomorrow or any other day.

As a final thought, it is worth reflecting on the fact that there is a focus today on unseen care. Covid has very much highlighted the fact that so much care that is often provided predominantly by women is completely undervalued economically, socially and in every other respect. It is true to say that so much of society would collapse without it. Lá sona Idirnáisiúnta na mBan do chách. Let us continue to put the work in to ensure an equal Ireland.

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