Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

International Women's Day is celebrated annually on 8 March and, in 2023, we commemorate the 117th year of the global event. It is a day dedicated to celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and promoting gender equality worldwide. On that note, to the ladies who look after me in every way, shape and form in my office, Margaret, Ellen and Valerie, and my two daughters, Eileen and Marie, and my sister, Kay, I wish them the very best on this day. I wish the women of Ireland and all over the world a very happy International Women’s Day.

There is one particular woman I would like to mention in the short time I have, and that is Katie Taylor, who is probably the most astonishing sportsperson in this country. I am disappointed with the way her latest fight is being thrown about here, there and everywhere. I know the competitor has ended up being injured but I hope they can find a stadium big enough. I know there is a serious issue over Croke Park but I cannot understand why. I would say that if it was heavyweight men's boxing, they would have found a way of sorting out this issue. I am not going to point a finger at the Government because it is the GAA that owns the pitch and maybe there is an issue that needs to be resolved. I certainly put forward a very simple solution, which is to move it down to Cork, where there is 45,000-seater stadium in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, but nobody wanted to listen. They all want to put the greatest sportsperson that we ever had, Katie Taylor, into an 8,000-seater stadium. It is an astonishing, crazy move, and it needs to be rectified on behalf of the women of this country.

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