Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman. He is a very good participant in debates in this House. I also welcome his colleagues.

These statements are important. International Women's Day has happily and thankfully become a major part of our annual calendar. It gives important and overdue recognition of women and, in some respects, compensates for years of the position being otherwise. It is a recognition of the importance of gender equality in all facets of life, including the political sphere. It is a reminder of the need for equality and mutual respect. It is very timely and, sadly, overdue but it is good that at least we are attempting to compensate for the wrongs of the past. There is no point in not describing them as wrongs because that is what they were. I call on the Minister to make his introductory remarks.