Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and all Senators. I was not entirely sure how today’s debate, for want of a better word, would go because there are people who have different views from some Senators who are not present in the House. It shows that across this Chamber there is predominant support for the rights of women. As was mentioned by my colleague, Senator Garvey, 40% of the Members of the House are women. If one looks across every other area of politics in Ireland, one does not find that. That is why I feel passionate about this matter.

The Leas-Chathaoirleach put it well when he said that it is almost like atonement. There was a sense of frustration over many years among women that they were seen as second-class citizens. It reached a tipping point when it came to the eighth amendment. I still feel that sense of anxiety and almost shame, dare I say it, about the fact we are not putting into practice what Senator Higgins referred to as the ancillary recommendations. She said it in such a way as to suggest they are ancillary but they are crucial and they took up so much time when people were doing their deliberations on the eighth amendment. It is crucial and despite some of the findings alluded to in the working group on how great we are doing on contraception, globally we are doing quite poorly on contraception so it is not a high bar.

If we talk about being progressive, why can we not be progressive and number one? Is it been outlined time again that women do not have access. All the facts and figures are on our side to show that people do not have the access they need. For every person in a situation of a crisis pregnancy or, as Senator Hoey stated, relating to their own healthcare, we need as a society to act now and we have to take into consideration the historical context in this country and not deal with this as if it is a minor thing on the side. This is critical to who we are if we are saying that we are moving forward and coming out of the dark ages. It is women who have been pulling this country out of the dark ages and this is another step.

I do not like to point out that I congratulate the men here because I also congratulate the women here and any non-binary person who happens to be discussing this issue. It is an issue for all of us and no one should be held higher than another person.

I will talk about a few things people have said while they remain fresh in my mind. An excellent point was raised by Senator Higgins on global responsibility. That is key and it is not in the motion but it is an important point.Ireland is held up as a country that assumes its global responsibilities in terms of the climate and overseas development aid. We now need to determine whether we can include these issues in that as well.

Senator Garvey spoke about local access in rural areas and small towns. The Minister of State spoke about the same issue passionately. As Senator Boylan mentioned, the Well Woman Clinic pointed to this as one of the key factors, in that people must still travel for contraception. People feel shame and embarrassment.

Senators Conway and Clifford-Lee raised the question of education. The latter called it a dysfunctional system. Will the Minister of State speak to his ministerial colleagues about this point? His Government could be the one to transform the way we educate our children and, consequently, educate them as parents.

This could also be the Government that provides free access to contraception, which is a right in many countries like Portugal and the UK. It was in the programme for Government. Senator Clifford-Lee mentioned that she had raised this as a Commencement matter. Free contraception was to be rolled out soon. I would like to know when. I acknowledge that these have been difficult times for the Government, but we need a timeline. We know what the problems in the healthcare system are. I do not want to be completely negative, but it is my job as a Member of the Upper House to hold the Government to account. That is why I have tabled this Private Members' motion. Like Senator Fitzpatrick, I will be back in January and most of us will continue putting this matter on the agenda so that we can see the timeline for it.

I welcome the €5 million for the women's health fund in budget 2021. I draw the House's attention to the €12 million investment in delivering the national maternity strategy. It was a great shame that, after all of the work that was put into the strategy, it did not see the kinds of gain we expected during the term of the previous Government. The current Government needs to invest heavily in alongside care, which was a key part of the strategy. Alongside care has not progressed. I will also table something on this issue.

There has been major investment in screening services, including BreastCheck and CervicalCheck. I congratulate the Minister of State and the entire Department on that.

We still do not have a timeline, but this motion is a step. That is what I have told everyone. I ask the Minister of State to listen fully to the call not only of the women of this nation, but of the women of this Chamber. We do not outnumber men in the Seanad, in the Lower House or on local authorities. Unfortunately, we do not have female representation. Perhaps that is why we are still fighting years later for the most basic of services for our overall health, menstrual health, sexual health and mental health. This is a country that needs to think not just about the economy but also about people's well-being.