Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister of State on the Bill. It is definitely long overdue and it is very welcome. Credit to the Minister of State and his Department for all their work on the Bill.

The swiftness of this Bill’s journey through the Oireachtas signifies both the importance of the legislation and the broad support for it that exists in the Houses.It is rare for us all to be in agreement but I am glad it is recognised collectively that we need to make structural changes to make space for women to participate equally in public life.

I congratulate the many present and future councillors whose lives will be changed by the provision of maternity leave. So many women councillors have been campaigning for this change for many years. Many of them have had to contend with the challenges of being new mothers and have had to resume council duties almost immediately after the birth of their children, which placed a huge strain on them and their families. This pressure is felt most acutely by women councillors who are independent or representing small parties. Sometimes they are the only councillors of their political persuasion represented in a council chamber. If they are absent from the council chamber, their perspective goes entirely unheard. I commend the determination and commitment to public service shown by these councillors, but no one should be expected to make that kind of sacrifice.

I hope this legislation will encourage women who have not previously thought about standing for election to consider it ahead of the 2024 local elections. There are women all over this country who have fresh ideas and perspectives that can be brought to bear to improve their areas and serve their communities. If they are tuning in to this debate, I encourage them to get involved. It may seem like a totally impossible idea but everything feels impossible until it is done. Politics needs more reluctant politicians and it needs more women.

Only 24% of local councillors are women. Entering such an overwhelmingly male environment can be extremely daunting, even when so many of the men make concerted efforts to be welcoming and inclusive. More needs to be done to fully incorporate women into political life. It is important that political parties nominate more women candidates and ensure their female members are protected from discrimination and harassment. The timing of council meetings in the evenings is understandable because most councillors also have other jobs that take up their time during typical office hours. However, evening meetings can impede the participation of women, who are more likely to have caring responsibilities on top of their paid work. I acknowledge it is a complicated area and certainly do not have all the answers, but I believe the possibilities created by the widespread adoption of video-conferencing technology might need to be explored further. Politics works best when it is truly representative, and government at local and national levels should reflect the people it serves.

I hope the energy and momentum surrounding the push to provide maternity leave for councillors inspires action to make maternity leave available for Members of the Oireachtas. Women are serving at all levels of our politics and it is important that structural changes be made to enable their full and equal participation. This is a good opportunity to congratulate the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, on the birth of her son. Her taking time off is an incredibly brave and inspiring step towards a more modern and inclusive form of politics; however, she can take leave because she is a member of a major party and a Minister in a Government with a solid parliamentary majority. More needs to be done in this area.

Twenty-three percent of Deputies are women. That is half the rate in Sweden, which has a 46% female Parliament. Sweden has a system of maternity leave for Members of Parliament whereby women can co-opt someone for the duration of their leave. This means constituents are represented, perspectives are expressed and Members of Parliament can take the time to bond with and care for their babies. I would replicate this model in Ireland. It is claimed that there is a constitutional barrier to the provision of maternity leave to Members of the Oireachtas. If that is the case, we are fortunate to have a Constitution that can be amended by the people. The Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality is already looking into how to amend the Constitution to make it more representative of women’s equal status. The Article 41 reference to women’s position in the home stands out as the most problematic and antiquated feature of the Constitution, and the Government has committed to addressing this. Concurrent referenda on Article 41 and maternity leave for Members of the Oireachtas would comprise an effective and worthwhile programme of constitutional reform.

I agree with Senator Moynihan that we have to highlight that there are barriers for women. I totally agree on women working in other industries. We have to be mindful that people in the music industry, for example, do not get maternity leave, which can be very difficult.

I reiterate my congratulations to the Minister of State and all the councillors who have campaigned for this change. They have made Irish politics a more inclusive and hospitable place for women. This is a major achievement. The Minister of State and his Department should be very proud of what they have achieved today. Ireland has made extraordinary progress in the field of gender equality in recent decades but those achievements should not bring on complacency. Instead, they should inspire us to continue to fight for a truly equal and feminist republic.