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THE NATIONAL WOMEN’S Council of Ireland has published a report on how to build a “women-friendly” Oireachtas.
The research for this report was conducted as part of NWCI’s ‘Women in Politics and Decision-Making’ project and the primary research for the report was conducted by Eóin Murray.
The report recommends six ways to make the Oireachtas more open for women. Making the day-to-day business in the Oireachtas more “family-friendly” by introducing maternity leave for female politicians and also introducing paternity leave for men.
Working hours
The report found that working late hours and having late night debates hindered women specifically and called for more work to be done within business hours. They also recommended introducing video-conferencing.
Other reccommendations include applying a 40 per cent gender quota for Cabinet appointments, conducting a gender audit in the Oireacthas so as to “establish a clear plan” and also developing a “code of conduct” centered around the “acceptable and respectful” behaviour in the Oireachtas.
It was also suggested that TDs should be given gender-sensitivity training so that they understand why and how to introduce equality and gender analysis in to their daily work, said the report.
It was also suggested that all political groupings should designate a small amount of their funding to the establishment of a women’s caucus with an independent secretariat.
Masculine culture
The report finds that there is a “masculine culture” in government, due to a number of factors such as, there being no work-life balance, business often being done outside the Dáil chamber, “on weekday nights in the pub,” it states.
Many of the people featured in the report asked to remain anonymous. These individuals included both public representatives and researchers from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Féin; staff from the Houses of the Oireachtas and a number of academic researchers.
A named politician featured in the report in Sinn Fein’s Mary Lou McDonald who states that there is no provision for maternity leave for one reason only:
There’s no provision for it because it’s not to be done. That’s the reality of it…… I remember actually coming back off maternity leave and bumping into a politician, who said to me “where have you been?” Because obviously I had been out of circulation for a couple of months, and I said “I had the baby”, “Oh right, yeah, yeah”; “I took maternity leave”. And I always remember him saying “politicians don’t take maternity leave”. And I said “I tell you what, this politician does, and did, and now I’m back”.
Susan O’Keefe from Labour states:
When kids are brought here we bring them to the bar, we give them a soft drink but it is still the bar. We don’t have a visitor centre.That is one of the things I would change, there ought to be a room were kids, visitors groups have a room where they can sit comfortably and be given a soft drink.
Fianna Fáil’s Jim Glennon also states that politics is not family-friendly, especially for those in rural areas, stating:
The combination of the time away from family and the need to conduct a lot of work through socialising around the environs of Leinster House can also be problematic.This can put a significant amount of pressure on members, especially those from rural areas who can be away from their homes and constituencies for extended periods of time.
The report also cites incidents of “sexist behaviour” in the Dáil, citing Tom Barry grabbing Áine Collins during a a late-night debate on abortion and when Taoiseach Brian Cowen ordered Labour Party Leader Eamon Gilmore to “rein in” his deputy Joan Burton.
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My daughter is a social care worker with adults with learning difficulties & in her place of work they still haven’t been tested. All these adults are all live in house’s where she works.
I’d like to see some up to date reports of testing figures. This article quotes 188,837 from last Saturday, even though a figure of 214,761 has been published since then. What is the current figure for community testing?
It is right we test the people in Direct Provision as a priority because they have suffered enough after fleeing war torn countries.
@Frances Faller: nobody should be a priority in this. Everybody needs to be treated the same. Nobody’s health is more or less important than anyone else, does not matter where they came from
@Frances Faller: This is a common misconception. One can claim asylum under many different categories including sexual orientatation
@Ali Ní Dhomhnaill: maybe not a priority but their pleas shouldn’t be falling on deaf ears for weeks now. Money talks – FG don’t want to challenge those making a fortune out it direct provision to implement social distancing.
Also the Irish public just doesn’t care.
@Ali Ní Dhomhnaill: not true. Not everyone has the luxury of isolating themselves. People in direct provision and nursing homes are by default in environments where it’s difficult to isolate and where the virus is more easily transmitted. Tackling these outbreaks helps to eradicate the virus for everyone.
@Frances Faller: but what to do with the with people in direct provision that are making a mockery of the asylum process Pamela Izevbekhai springs to mind, cost the state half a millon Euro.There is no war in Albania, Moldova,Nigeria,Zimbabwe,Pakistan and Bangladesh to name but a few.
@JJandtim Dwyer: The Irish went all over the world and was treated very well and a lot became millionaires. All the refugees want is the same chance.
@Frances Faller: no problem with people coming from war torn countries, but as a certain Judge who is an expert on the topic,stated that 95% of asylum seekers are not telling the truth on why they came to Ireland, but in fact they come for work/migration
@Frances Faller: you are terrible at trolling
@Frances Faller: Have absolutely no problem with people coming here from a war torn country, its their right to seek shelter from tyranny,but I will not be made a fool of by those that spin the most outrageous yarns to gain access to my country.
I am sick to death of this comparison of , The Irish went all over the world , of course they did as they had their land was confiscated and their crops stolen , and were transported for stealing a loaf of bread, They built countries infrastructure , railways , highways, Dams and broke their backs doing it and never requested a nice hotel in the city.with 3 meals a day and weekly payment.
Their is nothing free in this world we al have to do our bit there is no such thing as a free lunch.
@JJandtim Dwyer: Well said. That horse that is usually trotted out about the Irish going “all over the world” when really it was to anglophone countries in the vast majority of cases, and as you rightly point out – it was sink or swim for those Irish souls.
Deport.
Why were they tested? Were they in at risk categories?
The Irish went all over the world and were treated well?? It’s for exactly the opposite reason we should have empathy with asylum seekers ‘ no dogs and no Irish ‘
have your say