Irish Gender Inequality Indicators Shocking – Funchion
Commenting today on TASC's recent report ‘Economic
Inequality in Ireland - Cherishing All Equally 2016’, Sinn Féin
Spokesperson on Childcare Kathleen Funchion TD said that the report's
revelation of some key gender inequality indicators for the state were
shocking.
The Carlow-Kilkenny TD said:
“TASC’s recent report on the inequalities in existence within this state, particularly between gender divisions, exposes what many suspect but do not want to believe.
“Some gender inequality indicators were quite frankly, shocking:
· The gender pension gap is 37%, the fifth highest pension gap in the EU
· 29% of female workers are low paid in Ireland compared to 19% of male workers, which is the sixth highest level in the OECD
· Lone parent households (90% of lone parents are women) had a deprivation rate in 2014 at 58.7% and a consistent poverty rate at 22%
· Women carry out 70% of family care work across the state
· On over 3,494 occasions in 2013, women's domestic violence services were unable to accommodate women and their children because the refuge was full or there was no refuge in their area.
“These facts make for tough reading when in black and white. I commend TASC for
their work in exposing the pervasive inequalities between women and men in Irish
society. It's also evident that it is women who are economically deprived who
feel the brunt. They not only struggle financially, but must face the challenge
of gender inequality in the work, place, in the household and ultimately in the
futures through lack of security as well.
“The report states that, according to the European Gender Inequality Index 2012, “Ireland ranked eighth highest out of the EU 28 with a score of 56.5 where 1000 indicates gender inequality”. It is abundantly clear that gender inequality remains a huge challenge here. It's not a topic we can confine to the past. As evidenced in the report, modern Irish society continues to push women's entitlement to fair living conditions and secure futures to the side. I aim to shine light on the issue at every opportunity.”
