Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I will also speak about International Women's Day. I believe it should be a time of review and reflection. Typically, it fills me with hope and renewed commitment to the cause of equality. This year's theme, break the bias, certainly hammers that home. I am also using this week to reflect on lessons learned from some of the amazing women from the midlands I have had the privilege to meet in my roles as Minister of State, Senator and a member of my community. They include women who have overcome personal tragedy to lead their family farms and businesses, Traveller women who, despite facing bias and discrimination, are working hard to help others, women and girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, sport and politics, and women who lead in activism to protect this beautiful planet we call home. These are women who inspire us all each and every day.

Mná 100 celebrates the women of 1916, many of whom have been forgotten over this past century. These include women such as Áine Ní Riain who was living in Offaly when she took part in the 1916 Rising. As a member of Tullamore's Cumann na mBan, she served at Reis's Chambers, the Hibernian Bank and the GPO garrison until 28 April which, as she later recounted, she only left by order of P.H. Pearse. They also include women such as 23-year-old nurse Mary McDonald from Abbeyleix, who was training as a midwife at the Rotunda Lying-in Hospital during Easter 1916. When the British military occupied the hospital, Mary and the staff were given orders to get on with their work, not to go out of doors and to keep away from the windows. Mary later recalled that "Shots and explosions were then the order of the day, we did our work, ate our short ration."

This is but a snapshot of some of the wonderful women of the midlands, past and present. As the phrase "nothing about me without me" goes, today we celebrate and thank those women for inspiring us to break the bias and move us ever closer to an equal Ireland for every woman.