Continuing personal safety fears among Irish women, and their concerns over the lack of adequate transport infrastructure in rural Ireland, were two of the main themes explored at a national conference held in Monaghan Town on Friday last. “Claiming Our Space”, organised by the National Women’s Council, brought delegates from all over Ireland to the Four Seasons Hotel for an event marking the International Day of Rural Women.
The attendees were welcomed by Cavan/Monaghan TD and Minister for Social Protection and Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys, who officially opened the conference with an address which celebrated the changing landscape of opportunity for women in the workplace and in Irish society. “How things have changed from the day when, as rural women, we were made believe that our place in society was to stay at home and cook the dinner and mind the kids,”
Minister Humphreys stated. “We now have a situation where so many of our women can and do build that career they have always wanted.” The Minister emphasised the importance of the remote working initiatives she was leading at Government level in opening up greater career opportunities for women in rural Ireland. Minister Humphreys announced that she and her fellow Co Monaghan Cabinet member, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD were currently examining the possibility of establishing a Centre of Excellence for women’s sport in Ireland.
The Minister was called upon by National Women’s Council Director Orla O’Connor to ensure that the Government’s rural development policy Our Rural Future place an enhanced focus on some of the issues creating barriers for women in rural Ireland, including violence, poverty, inadequate public services and the impediments encountered by women who wished to achieve decision-making roles in local politics and other social areas. Siobhan McKenna from Monaghan’s Tearmann Domestic Violence Services was one of the participants in a panel discussion….
