Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming in today and affording us this really valuable opportunity to discuss women's health. I am loath to quote Tammy Wynette in the House but I do agree that "Sometimes it's hard to be a woman", especially in the context of women's health. I will not sing that. I applaud the fact that the Minister mentioned some of the fantastic initiatives that have happened over the years around period poverty, menopause in particular and free contraception. I have spoken at length in the Seanad about my personal issues and what has happened with the shortage of HRT products. It affects many women. I welcome the Minister's comments that she will engage with the pharmacists' unions and try to address those shortages. An update on that would be really valuable as well as the national framework for endometriosis that has been mentioned as well. I would like to see where we stand with that framework.

However, an area that I have been told is still falling short in Irish healthcare is the treatment of eating disorders, the most common being anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating. Girls and women are at greater risk of eating disorders and the core symptoms that come with them such as body weight, body image, shape concerns and binge eating. In a presentation last week to Oireachtas Members, Paula Crotty from Caring about Recovery from Eating Disorders, CARED Ireland, said the lack of progress since the HSE's 2018 model of care for eating disorders is very disappointing. She said despite the plan's promise of 16 specialist and dedicated inpatient beds, the reality is only three inpatient beds are available. I am happy to be their advocate and call for action on this.

As we celebrate International Women's Day, it is encouraging to see such a leap in recent years on better healthcare for all women and a broad selection of women in positions of power here to lead the charge and implement the changes necessary.

Finally, I started with a quote from Tammy Wynette so I will finish with one from Dolly Parton, "If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are an excellent leader."