Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá bród orm a bheith ag labhairt faoi Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan. Irish women are famous the world over for many things. We have world champions like Katie Taylor and Sonia O'Sullivan making us proud. On the international political and humanitarian stages Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese are shining examples of womanhood. Let us not forget our historical heroines - women like Constance Markievicz, Kathleen Lynn and Rosie Hackett, whose bravery and courage in 1916 and afterwards played a huge part in bringing about the Ireland of today.

However, I believe it is the unsung heroines that International Women's Day is intended to celebrate. We must celebrate the women whose work is largely invisible and hugely undervalued. While only one in six women is a carer, these women still provide 98% of full-time unpaid care to elderly family members, sick or disabled adult family members, and children and adults with special needs, to name but a few. In other words, 60% of carers are doing almost 100% of the work.

According to a recent report by ActionAid and the National Women's Council, the efforts of women carers go largely unrecognised and, incredibly, are not seen to have any economic value. It is well past time that this perception changed.

As Sinn Féin spokesperson for older people, I see every day in my constituency and beyond, the struggles of women - old and young - who are often left providing full-time care for an elderly spouse, parent, or adult disabled child, when the carers themselves are often in need of care.

Not only are women carrying the bulk of the carer's burden, they are also being marginalised and economically isolated in society because of this, with higher levels of poverty and discrimination being experienced. The dedication and work of a huge number of Irish women today, particularly lone parents, members of the Travelling community or those caring for disabled and elderly relatives is being overlooked and undervalued. Their vital contribution in caring for our most vulnerable at the expense of their own lives is absolutely vital to society. This work must be recognised and valued for the benefit it provides to the nation as a whole.

Ireland is known for producing strong and inspiring women who have had a huge impact at home and on the world stage. Mary Robinson, our first woman President, went on to become a shining light for human rights, including women's rights, worldwide. Mary McAleese, another amazing former President, has said of women's contribution to society:

.... it is absolutely no accident that the peace and reconciliation, and indeed the economic progress, that eluded us generation after generation for hundreds of years, has at last come to pass in an Ireland where the talents of women are now flooding every aspect of life as never before.

As Harriet Beecher Stowe said: "Women are the real architects of society". Women's hands do not just rock the cradles of future generations, their hands have shaped the society we currently enjoy, and those hands are instrumental today in shaping the society we hope to live in, in the days to come. Let us not just celebrate and value our amazing women on this one day, Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan - tá orainn iad a cheiliúradh gach lá.

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