Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That Seanad Éireann, on the 100th anniversary of the 1918 General Election, which was the first election in which Irish women had the right to vote:salutes the struggle of the Irish suffrage movement which fought for many years for that right;

notes the significance of:

- the suffrage movement in Ireland, including the Dublin Women’s Suffrage Association founded by Anna Haslam, and the Irishwomen’s Suffrage and Local Government Association which had branches across the country;

- the brave actions taken by the Irish Women’s Franchise League founded by Hanna Sheehy Skeffington and Margaret Cousins in 1908, who took direct action in their campaign to highlight votes for women;

- the centenary of the election of Countess de Markievicz to Dáil Éireann, who was elected as the first woman Member of Parliament in Westminster;

- the centenary also of Winifred Carney running for election in East Belfast;

- the centenary in February of the Representation of the People Act 1918, which extended the vote to all men aged at least 21, and women aged 30 or older who were university graduates or owned a certain amount of property;

- the centenary in November, of the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918, which enabled women to become MPs on the same terms as men;

pays tribute to the work of the cross-party Vótáil 100 Committee which worked with the Oireachtas Communications Unit in organising a series of commemorative events this year in collaboration with cultural institutions and historians including:

- an historical conference organised with the Royal Irish Academy;

- an exhibition located in the Seanad ante-room curated in conjunction with the National Museum of Ireland, the National Library of Ireland and the Sheehy Skeffington family;

- a portrait by artist Noel Murphy of all current 53 women members of the Oireachtas unveiled on International Women’s Day and now hanging in Leinster House;

- ‘Díospóireacht na nÓg’, hosted by Seanad Éireann with 16 Transition Year students from across the island speaking on the topic of women’s suffrage;

- a photograph of all current and former women members of the Oireachtas to record the incremental growth in representation since the 90th anniversary of the 1918 election;

- an exhibition in the National Gallery entitled ‘Markievicz: Portraits & Propaganda’ with a performance piece including members of the Oireachtas;

and resolves in this centenary year:

- to ensure that the legacy of the women of the suffrage movement is remembered; and

- to continue to work towards the increased representation of women in the Oireachtas so that we can reach true parity in politics reflective of Irish society.