Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

That was wishful thinking. At any rate, I decided I would speak that day and I spoke about housing or some such issue. Sometimes the old-fashioned ideas are very good, but keeping women quiet and making one female member in a group of 24 councillors an object of admiration because she does not speak for six months is a breeding ground for many other problems.

We are only skirting this issue but if we can get agreement on an amendment to the legislation, that will be worthwhile. On the matter of the lack of funding, I read the part of the report relating to private practitioners. That was of great help to women and they were able to act fairly immediately. This area will have to be reviewed.

The women and men who spoke in this debate should come to a loose alliance on these matters and seek to bring about as many changes as we can through the legislative process. That is our remit. The briefing paper and this debate will be of benefit in that regard.