Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Here is to strong women. May we know them, be them and raise them. Actually - you know what - let us not. Let us stop placing enormous expectations and burdens on women. Let us stop expecting women to be strong all the time, to be superheroes and to fill every single gap left by a failure of policy, politicians and successive governments to provide the supports and services women need. For generations in Ireland, women have had to do it all. Women are primarily responsible for caring for children and elderly parents. Women are generally responsible for caring for family members with disabilities and for fighting for school places, assessments of needs or disability supports. Women are far too often responsible for fighting for justice when the system fails victims of gender-based violence and for fighting for healthcare. We have seen far too many instances in which women have literally been fighting from their deathbeds for the girls and women who come after them so they do not have to fight the same fight when it comes to proper healthcare for women.

Women have had to do it all and quite frankly it is exhausting. Women are just asking for some help. We just want to live normal lives and not have to be superheroes all the time. This International Women's Day, I call on the Government to take action to support women; no more empty statements or promises. The Government has a responsibility to women in Ireland and a job to do. Please step up and do it.

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