Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 7 be taken before No. 1.

On International Women's Day, we are looking at the portrait of nurse Elizabeth O'Farrell. It is very important to note not just the contribution she made in the shaping of Ireland but also that she continued to serve for the rest of her life in the National Maternity Hospital. An issue I highlighted in the Commencement debate this morning, one which I hope the House will debate, is the importance of ensuring the National Maternity Hospital is in public ownership, under public control and subject to public accountability.

We talk about how far we have to go but one of the things about going further is that we also need to change course. For too long, Ireland has not lived up to its responsibilities to women and has found ways to outsource those responsibilities, such as the delivery of essential services, especially to pregnant women. It is important that we now have the kind of State that Elizabeth O'Farrell fought for, one that takes responsibility for women and has real equality for women and men.

To move from the national to the international, given that it is International Women's Day, I will highlight two issues that I hope we will have a chance to discuss further over the coming weeks. One is the very worrying rollback on reproductive rights for women in Poland. Today, parliamentarians across Europe are taking a stand in support of women because we know the impact those cruel laws can have in terms of issues like fatal foetal anomaly and we know the very real experiences. Ireland is one of the few countries that knows what that can mean. I send solidarity on that today.

I also send solidarity to front-line health workers across the world - nurses like Elizabeth O'Farrell - so many of whom are women and so many of whom are balancing work for society with the work of care. I am concerned that we are still not facing up to our responsibilities to show solidarity in providing access to vaccination for front-line health workers who are women. Nurses all over the world are still awaiting vaccination. I hope we will have a specific debate on COVAX and the coronavirus treatment acceleration program, CTAP, and how Ireland can step up its support, including by applying pressure on intellectual property sharing, if necessary through the World Health Organization, to ensure that front-line workers, the new generation of Elizabeth O'Farrells, are given support and care, as they have given care to their societies.

I wish a happy International Women's Day to all of my wonderful colleagues across the House and to the women of Ireland more widely.