International Women's Day: Statements
Seanad Éireann — 2026-03-04
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Joe Conway (IND), Cultural and Educational Panel

I came up today with absolutely no intention of saying anything. I just came up to be part of the occasion and to show cause with my female Seanadóirí colleagues but I want to take the opportunity to respond to a few things that I heard during the course of the day. I want to begin by acknowledging what I heard via the monitor this morning from Senator Comyn. She spoke about the vulnerability of sections of our population and I want to thank her for drawing attention to that. As a principal teacher, I came across several instances of that type violence and it leaves an impression. I thank her for raising it on the Commencement this morning.
Senator Tully was talking about women's refuges and the lack of a refuge in County Cavan. We are encouraged by the meeting between the Commissioner and the chief constable last week that there may be greater collaboration between the police forces on that particular subject, but she made a very cogent argument for the refuge.
There was an impassioned speech from Senator Flynn and my response to that is that I knew nothing of those difficulties when I was growing up. I grew up in a very traditional nuclear family but I would have to say of my dear mother that her husband emigrated back in the 1950s when things were tough and she brought up six of us. She also kept lodgers to keep the show on the road, so in her own quiet way, even though she did not have any interchange with drugs, violence or anything like that, I still consider her one of the great heroes that I would have come across in my life. It does not necessarily have to be about women facing up to violence. In their own quiet way, as somebody said, it is often the people who say the least who can be the most effective.
Back in the 1990s, the trade union that I belong to was 90% female. I am just saying this to my female colleagues because it is a trap that they could fall into. Indeed, I heard it mentioned in the House already today. Even though the trade union had a 90% female membership, there was a big push, if not a groundswell, for reserved places on the national executive for women. I am sure most people here would believe that democracy is indivisible. It is one person, one voice. If one starts looking for reserve places for women on anything, one demeans the whole cause.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-03-04/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:43+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-04