Lorraine Clifford-Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

I will be sharing my time with Senator O'Loughlin, who will second the Bill.

I warmly welcome colleagues, the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, and all those who are watching this debate online. Because of our reduced number many Members could not come to the Chamber but I know many of them are tuning in tonight. Today is an historic day. The Second Stage debate of a Bill is always significant as it allows Members to discuss the general principle of a Bill and to find common ground and purpose. It is a fitting tribute to the women, girls and trans people of Ireland that we are gathered here this evening to discuss the topic of period poverty. As we know, it is they who have suffered the disproportionate economic pain of the pandemic, leading to an even further widening of gender and economic inequality in Ireland. In addition to the economic hit, they are holding households together, undertaking the majority domestic and home-schooling tasks and, unfortunately, domestic violence has increased.

The progress of this Bill and the continuing of the wider conversation around period justice is another step on the road to dealing with our historically dysfunctional relationship with female reproductive health in Ireland. We have a lot of catching up to do. There has also been an historic underfunding of female healthcare in this country. The passing of this Bill and the establishment of a free period product scheme would be a significant investment in female public health. It would also send a strong signal to the world that Ireland can be a world leader when it comes to gender and reproductive health and rights issues, and that Ireland is a good place for women, girls and trans people.

Period poverty refers to an inadequate access to period products, washing, waste management facilities and education. This leads to many adverse consequences. It is estimated that between 53,000 and 85,000 women, girls and trans people in Ireland are at risk of period poverty. However, the true level of period poverty is not known due to the historic shame and stigma associated with menstruation and the lack of data on the issue. Those at particular risk are people in active addiction, people who are homeless and those in abusive and controlling relationships. One-parent families are at particular risk of consistent poverty and this also includes period poverty. This also applies to members of the Traveller and Roma communities, as well as other minorities, as it is recognised they are the most marginalised people in Ireland. However, we know period poverty stretches beyond these groups and, therefore, I welcome the data gathering recommendation contained in the recently released report of the period poverty sub-committee of the national strategy for women and girls because it is only with this information we can truly address the issue comprehensively. I wish to acknowledge the work of all those involved in the sub-committee, as well as all those who gave their time and expertise to the committee.

The direct health impacts of period poverty include an increased risk of infection due to the use of improvised products, infrequent changing of products and toxic shock syndrome. The inability to access suitable volumes of period products can lead to leakage, risking embarrassment, which then leads to people missing school, college, work and necessary appointments, and it reduces female participation in sport and other community activities.

Plan International Ireland undertook a survey of 1,100 girls in Ireland between the ages of 12 and 19 in 2018. It found that approximately 50% of respondents occasionally experience period poverty, with 10% using unsuitable products as a result of cost barriers. It also found that 61% reported absence from school as a result of their period and 70% needed pain relief. It is known that girls' participation in school rapidly declines at the onset of puberty and it is my belief that period poverty plays a significant role in this decline.There are wider health impacts of the lack of knowledge and also the typical issues associated with menstrual health. Endometriosis affects 10% of women, but they often find that when they seek medical help their pain is dismissed as simply being a period pain and they face a long uphill battle to get a diagnosis and treatment. I have spoken to several women suffering with endometriosis and they were all of the belief that it is only when we break down the stigma and speak about periods as a normal part of life that awareness around endometriosis can increase.

The provision of free period products would help reverse the gender inequality that is so apparent when one considers the burden of costs associated with managing routine reproductive biology, which nearly always falls on women, girls and trans people. It is bizarre to think that toilet paper, soap and paper towels are universally provided in public toilets, but period products are not. The system was clearly designed by men but now is our chance to design the system.

Many people played a part in getting period poverty onto the political agenda. I thank them all for their campaigning and action on the issue. The 2019 motions in the Seanad and Dáil tabled by the Irish Women's Parliamentary Caucus was a significant development in the fight for period justice. The cross-party motions were passed unanimously and led to the establishment of the period poverty sub-committee of the national strategy of women and girls, to which I referred. The sub-committee published its report today and it is a welcome step on the journey to achieving period justice. The programme for Government made a commitment on period poverty, which was an historic first for an Irish Government.

Local authorities around the country have passed motions highlighting period poverty and committing to providing free period products in buildings operated by them. Many of the motions were tabled by my colleagues in Fianna Fáil who are on councils across the country, so I want to give them a particular mention today. I also acknowledge that Senator Moynihan tabled one such motion when she was a member of Dublin City Council. I commend her and her colleagues in the Labour Party on their work on this issue and sponsoring a Bill on the topic. Senator O'Loughlin played a significant role in getting the cross-party motions tabled in 2019, along with the then chair of the women's caucus and now the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin. Senator Boylan raised the issue in the European Parliament when she was an MEP. That was very much welcomed at the time. All of our efforts have resulted in this issue being progressed to this point. Go raibh míle maith acu go léir. Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine.

I will turn now to the Bill, the Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021. The Bill requires the Minister for Health to establish a scheme to provide free period products for all who need them. The Bill allows for the development of a scheme for the provision of period products, which is suitable for the Irish experience. It is based on the recommendations in the report of the sub-committee, the 2019 cross-party motion and the commitment relating to period product provision contained in the programme for Government. The Bill requires the Minister for Health to lay the scheme, when drafted, before the Seanad and the Dáil so that Members can approve or reject it. This is significant as it gives parliamentarians oversight of the scheme to control its shape now and in the future.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and the other Ministers in the Department of Health for their robust support of the Bill. I also thank the Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin, and the other members of the Cabinet for their support. Having strong political backing is essential for a sufficiently funded scheme to operate and serve the people who so desperately need this to become a reality.

I look forward to hearing all the contributions this evening and I hope to progress the Bill on a cross-party basis with support through the women's caucus. We should not play politics with periods. Nobody wants to hear negativity tonight. We should work together to deliver as quickly as possible for the women, girls and trans people of Ireland.