I want to begin my statement today by acknowledging the bravery of the women of Ukraine, and the women of Afghanistan, and all the women who are experiencing conflict at this time.
Women face particular challenges and hardships in times of conflict, and it is important that any response to the conflict and displacement of people specifically and particularly acknowledges the needs of women and children.
I know that everyone in this House is thinking today of the women facing impossible choices as they try to protect their families from War.
Anuraigh, ar Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan, labharamar faoi thionchar an phandéim ar mhná. I mbliana, táimid i riocht i bhfad níos fearr agus scrianta á scoileadh, ach caithfimid fós a bheith aireach ar na torthaí fadtéarmacha a bheas ag na freagraí ar an bpaindéim ar fhostaíocht ban agus ar dhualgaisí curamaíochta.
An ghluaiseacht gan fasach i dtreo na cianoibre, tugann sé seo deis dúinn ráta rannpháirtíochta saothair na mban a mhéadú, ach beidh gá le monatóireacht curamach ionas nach bac eile í do dhul chun cinn gairme na mban.
At this time last year, we were reflecting on the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on women. Twelve months on, we are in a better place when it comes to the pandemic. But now is the time to apply some of the lessons we have learned from that experience.
For example, work-life balance should not be a choice between a successful career and a fulfilling family life.
The pandemic has reminded us all of the value and benefits of time with family. Parents should be able to feel like they can continue to have a better balance in their lives, and the Government is committed to introducing measures to support this.
Significant advances in the provision of family leave have been made over the past few years, beginning with the introduction of paid parents leave. This provides an entitlement to each parent individually, to encourage a sharing of the care of a child in their earliest years. Unpaid parental leave has also been extended.
The Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021 extended the provision of paid parents leave to five weeks for each eligible parent and made important changes to the arrangements for adoptive leave – providing, for the first time, choice in which parent avails of the leave.
Parents’ leave is due another extension in July this year, which will bring the entitlement to seven weeks for each eligible parent to be taken within the first two years of a child’s life or adoptive placement.
The Government will also shortly consider legislative proposals to transpose the remaining elements of the EU Work-Life Balance Directive, including a right to request flexible working within the terms of the Directive and an entitlement to leave for medical care purposes.
Unfortunately, the gender pay gap remains significant in Ireland and around the world, and it is indicative of the work still to be done to ensure that women have equal access to economic empowerment.
The effects of the gender pay gap are lifelong, resulting in women experiencing poverty at higher levels later in life. According to the latest figures published by Eurostat, in 2018 the gender pay gap in Ireland was 11.3 per cent while the gender pay gap across the EU overall was 14.1 per cent.
This Government is serious about further reducing the gender pay gap.
The National Strategy for Women and Girls has specific commitments on the issue, while the Programme for Government promises to legislate to require publication of the gender pay gap in large companies.
The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 introduced a legislative basis for gender pay gap reporting in Ireland and reporting by organisations with over 250 employees will begin this year.
Regulations to give effect to this legislation are in preparation and will be published in the coming weeks along with guidance for employers.
Reporting requirements will then be rolled out over the next few years to organisations with over 150 employees and then organisations with over 50 employees, eventually encompassing around two-thirds of employees in the State.
Gender pay gap reporting will help employers to identify the drivers behind their individual gender pay gaps and they will be required, as part of the reporting process, to explain their gender pay gap and to propose measures and steps to be taken to address this. It will also provide transparency for employees on which companies are doing the most to address their gender pay gap.
Another area where women have been let down in the past is the area of Women’s Health. Women have specific physical, mental and social health needs and over too long a period, these have not been sufficiently recognised and invested in.
The Government I lead is committed to changing that. Today, my colleague and Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, joined by all his female colleagues in Government, launched a new Women’s Health Action Plan for the coming two years.
This Plan will see a massive increase in investment in Women’s Health. For context, in 2020 we spent €4 million in new funding for targeted women’s healthcare measures; in 2022 we will spend €31 million.
We will embed the initiatives we introduced over the last year, and we will significantly grow the available supports, services and expertise in contraception, breastfeeding supports, menopause care, women’s mental health and gynaecology.
I am grateful for, and would like to acknowledge here, the huge effort from the diverse range of stakeholders who came together and put such a huge effort into developing this strategy with the Minister.
The Citizen’s Assembly on Gender Equality came forward with some 45 recommendations. In line with the Programme for Government commitment to consider each of the recommendations, Government Departments are examining the recommendations in detail.
The recommendations are comprehensive – covering care, social protection, education and leadership, as well as recommendations for Constitutional amendment.
The Joint Committee on Gender Equality will play a valuable role in the consideration of these recommendations and I know that detailed briefing has been provided by the relevant Departments to assist the Committee in their work.
Tugann Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan deis dúinn féachaint conas atáimid ó thaobh comhionannas inscne de. Caithfimid admháil cá bhfuil obair fós le déanamh, ach caithfimid freisin an obair a déanadh go dtí seo a aithint.
Trí fhorbairt straitéise nua in 2023, a leanfaidh Straitéis Náisiúnta na mBan agus na gCailíní, beidh deis again aithint cá rachfaimid sa todhchaí chun céimeanna suntasacha breise a thógaint sna blianta atá romhainn.
International Women’s Day is an important opportunity to take stock of where we are as a country when it comes to gender equality.
The truth is that while some progress has been made, there is still much work to be done.
2021 was a very challenging year – not least in terms of the national reckoning on the issue of violence against women. In the coming year, we have the opportunity to demonstrate that we meant what we said about things having to be different going forward.
I believe that this can be a watershed year when it comes to gender equality, and I look forward to working with Deputies from all sides of the House to try and make it so.