Gender Equality Committee to discuss recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality regarding Care and Social Protection

The Committee will discuss recommendations 4-19 of the Citizens’ Assembly report which can be read in full here.

The meeting will take place in Committee Room 2 of Leinster House between 09:00-12:00. 

The following representatives are due to appear:

• Professor Mary Murphy, Professor of Sociology at the Social Sciences Institute Maynooth University
• Dr Emily Murphy, Senior Researcher, Health Inequalities, TASC
• Dr Ursula Barry, Emeritus Associate Professor in the School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice at University College Dublin and Member of the Expert Advisory Group to the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Ivana Bacik said: “This week, the Committee will focus on the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly report regarding care and social protection.”

“The Assembly’s report  called for better public services and improved social protection in order to advance gender equality. The issue of care is central to any discussion on gender equality in Ireland as women do the bulk of unpaid and domestic care work. 98% of full-time carers are women while twice as many unpaid female as male carers provide over 43 hours care per week." 

“The hourly wage of childcare sector staff is 43.5% below the average national wage while 80% of childcare workers do not have sick pay.”

"The Oireachtas resolution asked the Assembly to bring forward proposals to seek to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in the workplace, politics and public life. It is clear that until there is equality for those work as carers – full gender equality cannot be achieved.”

Watch Committee proceedings live here or on the Oireachtas smartphone app for Apple and Android.