6 Mar 2025, 19:08
To mark International Women’s Day 2025 an Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann Verona Murphy, TD, was joined by guest speakers for a reception in the members restaurant of Leinster House.
To celebrate International Women's Day guest speakers from across the Ceann Comhairle's home county of Wexford spoke on issues facing women in Ireland and to celebrate the progress Ireland has made in gender equality.
The Ceann Comhairle opened the event with a short welcome address to guests in attendance including women members of both Houses of the Oireachtas, the Irish Women’s Parliamentary Caucus and women members of the Diplomatic Corps. The invited guest speakers included Deirdre Bonass, skin cancer activist, Anna Furlong, founder of the Rapunzel Foundation and Anne Marie O’Mahoney and Mia Larkin Walsh from Coláiste Bríde, Enniscorthy. Music was performed by singers Hayley Crosbie and Sarah Deevy from Co. Wexford.
Speaking of the importance of celebrating International Women's Day, the Ceann Comhairle said:
“I very much wanted to mark this milestone, the first International Women’s Day with a female Ceann Comhairle…Today is a day of recognition for women in all aspects of life, women who have used their voices to reach out and make a difference in the world.”
International Women’s Day is a global event, powered by collective efforts to drive gender parity and celebrate the success of women. This special event is an opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements and provides an opportunity to share knowledge and encouragement with others while focussing on the IWD 2025 theme ‘Accelerate Action’.
View a selection of downloadable images from the event on the Oireachtas Flickr account here.