Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As we gather here today to celebrate International Women's Day, I find myself reflecting on my own journey to this Chamber. Growing up in the eighties, I dreamed big.

Playing with my Barbie dolls - office, doctor and astronaut Barbie - I imagined a future where I could be anything I wanted to be. Encouraged by my parents and inspired by Barbie, I believed that hard work would make those dreams a reality. When I entered the workforce, though, I quickly realised the playing field was far from even. Promotions were not always based on merit and women often faced the harsh reality of the motherhood penalty. The dreams I had as a child suddenly felt much harder to achieve in the real world.

Today, Barbie has evolved. She represents diverse ethnicities, body types, disabilities and careers. Yet when I look around this Chamber, I see we still have a long way to go to reflect the true diversity of our country. Until this House reflects the diversity of our society, until every individual regardless of gender or background has an equal opportunity to succeed, we cannot call our democracy complete.

I struggle with International Women's Day, as although it is an opportunity to recognise the incredible contributions of women to Irish society, it is also a day that is a stark reminder of how far we still have to travel to have equality of opportunity in Ireland. There is an abundance of studies which evidence that greater equality and diversity lead to better profitability, better governance and more creativity and innovation. Despite this, progress remains slow. Too many glass ceilings remain and, internationally, women's rights are in reverse.

Research also shows that women's participation in the Irish workforce over the past 40 years has been a key driver of our economic success, yet the one thing many women need to return to the workplace is simply not available to them. Childcare is not a luxury, a perk or about letting women return to the workplace. It is much more important to the Irish economy than that. Childcare is essential infrastructure that is the key to unlocking Ireland's best resource, namely, our educated women and men.

Balancing motherhood and a professional career is one of the greatest challenges women face. Like so many mothers, I was one of the women whose careers suffered as a result of becoming a mother, unable to return to the position I held before my maternity leave and unable to access suitable childcare options in my community. I consider myself lucky because I was able to pivot my career and set up my own business. I am acutely aware, however, that not all women can do this and that having a family can have a profound impact on a mother's career trajectory and options. We must urgently invest in childcare and support providers to deliver more accessible and flexible options now, especially in rapidly growing constituencies like mine of Dublin Fingal West. We cannot wait for two, three or four years. The unmet demand in this regard is preventing women today from returning to work, creating immense stress for families and costing our economy dearly.

Too many barriers still prevent men from taking the statutory leave they are entitled to. It needs to become socially acceptable for fathers to take time out of the workplace for their parenting responsibilities. We need to see dads at every level of Irish society do this for it to become normalised. Those of us in political parties, men and women, must lead by example and we must hold our parties to account and ensure women are genuinely encouraged and empowered to become leaders within our ranks. We owe it to our children to deliver a level playing field. I want to be able to tell my daughters they can be anything they want to be, not because it is a dream, but because it is a reality. We must stop dreaming of a finished democracy. It is our responsibility to dismantle the barriers that hold women and men back. Today, let us commit to action. Let us deliver policies that promote gender equality, challenge the status quoand empower women to pursue their dreams without fear of discrimination or penalty.

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