Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the Minister to the House. We are speaking today on an issue that affects every family and every community. The Government has made significant strides in improving healthcare for women in Ireland but many women still struggle to access the care that they need when they need it. I know from experience in my area of Cork North-West that too many women, particularly in rural areas, face barriers when accessing essential services.

There are several areas where we can improve. First, we need to create a culture of listening and research when it comes to women's health. For too long, women's pain and symptoms have been dismissed or normalised - the gender pain gap. We need to change this. We need greater investment in female-focused medical research as, historically, women have been under-represented in clinical trials and our existing knowledge of women's health conditions is incomplete - it is actually woeful. I welcome the proposed further radical listening exercises which are to take place under the women's health action plan and I would appreciate it if the Minister could provide some further clarification on this.

I also believe that we can do more to support women when it comes to reproductive healthcare. I note that is an issue that has been mentioned today by many of my colleagues. I hope to see further roll-out of State-funded IVF treatment for those with difficulty conceiving, but also egg freezing. We need to ensure a wraparound service that supports women at every stage of the life-cycle and in each choice that they make.

Finally, it would be remiss to speak about women's health and not mention the number of women across the country providing care in the home - caring for children and adults with additional needs, their ageing relatives and partners. While 300,000 people across the country identify as unpaid carers, 61% of these carers are women. While caring is traditionally seen as more of a women's role, this mindset is embedded as a part of the fabric of our society. In reality, each and every one of us has been cared for at some point in our lives and however brief, we will likely have to care for somebody at some time. This is a hallmark of our society and it should be a hallmark of our aim to build a more equal society. We need to change our policies to provide greater support for our carers and I am glad that the phasing out of the carer's allowance means test during the course of this Government is included in the programme for Government.

I also believe that this is an area where we can adopt best practice sharing across the European Union where you see many excellent pilot projects and I would encourage the Minister to consider this topic for discussion as part of Ireland's upcoming EU Presidency in light of the European care strategy that was proposed by the Commission in 2022.

We need to ensure that every woman in Ireland receives the care and dignity she deserves and we need to commit to a healthcare system where women are heard, where their health is prioritised and where no woman is left behind.