Ivana Bacik

Order of Business:

Senator Ivana Bacik:  I second Senator Norris’s motion to amend the Order of Business to withdraw the civil partnership Bill, for the reasons he has mentioned. The Government has treated him extremely shabbily in respect of this Bill. I note the Deputy Leader’s comments about the time-frame for the introduction of Government legislation on civil partnership. It is the first time that it has been put on record that the heads of the Bill would be introduced in March followed by the Bill in September. That is welcome but time is slipping by. At this point same sex couples should seek and get full equality with opposite sex couples, nothing more and nothing less in terms of legal recognition. That is a core principle of equality.

I wish to renew a call I made last term for a debate on women’s representation in the Oireachtas. Senator Norris mentioned Barack Obama’s successful run in the US presidential election campaign. On behalf of women Members, I note that Hilary Clinton has also been doing extremely well and should not be written off yet as a Democrat candidate. Senator Clinton or Senator Obama would make a worthy and important replacement for the criminal policies of George Bush.

Senator Clinton’s candidacy has been a real inspiration for women in the United States and here, just as Senator Obama’s candidacy is an inspiration for African-Americans. Senator Clinton also speaks for an under-represented and disadvantaged group.

Senator Ivana Bacik: I support Senator O’Malley in her comments about CURA. The concern is that CURA is not co-operating with the Crisis Pregnancy Agency policy and that it is not providing women in crisis pregnancy with all the information on all the options available to them. I would be concerned that an organisation should receive State funding if it is not co-operating with an agreed body such as the CPA.

I also echo the comments by Senators O’Malley and Corrigan regarding the family. The calls made yesterday for debates on parenting may have missed the point. I have already called and I again reiterate a call on the Leader to institute a debate about how the Legislature can support parents through the provision of paid paternity leave to enable fathers to take time off from the workplace. It is a scandal that fathers have no right to paid paternity leave at present. It is also a scandal that we have such a poor provision of pre-school child care. As a Legislature we should be concerned about the quality of provision for children and the best interests of the child. I was very concerned at views expressed yesterday that showed a certain prejudice towards a particular type of parent, which is not helpful in a debate. We should consider what is in the best interests of the child, which is the quality of the parenting, and not who the parents are or the nature of their relationship and whether it is based on a legal bond. We should call for a debate on what the Legislature can do to support parents, be they single, married, same sex or opposite sex parents.

Senator Ivana Bacik: Will the deputy leader consider holding a debate on abortion, a topic of ongoing concern, particularly to women? Politicians have ignored and overlooked the topic. Governments have failed to legislate for abortion, particularly to provide for the circumstances in which an abortion may be carried out in line with the Supreme Court judgment in the X case, whereby continuing a pregnancy poses a real and substantial risk to a woman’s life.

In a recent poll in The Irish Times 69% of women surveyed said they would favour the Government’s legislating to provide for the X case circumstances. A total of 54% said they would like to see abortion legalised.

Last week, a senior Church of Ireland bishop justifiably criticised politicians for their spinelessness and hypocrisy in failing to face up to this issue. In respect of the X case in 1992, a Supreme Court judge was similarly critical of politicians for failing to legislate and leaving the matter to judges. In this context, I ask the deputy leader to try to face up to the collective cowardice of politicians regarding this issue and to consider holding a debate.

Senator Ivana Bacik:   Will the Leader consider holding a debate on how legislation can best provide for greater gender equality in the home? I refer in particular to legislation providing for paid paternity leave. The urgency of this is highlighted in a comprehensive opinion poll published in The Irish Times today, which presents the views of a large number of women surveyed. Among the more alarming findings is that only 33% of respondents had partners who participated regularly in domestic activities in the home. Men obviously require some gentle encouragement to participate in domestic work.

Female Members in particular may like me to repeat what I said. Today’s edition of The Irish Times contains a comprehensive opinion poll of women’s attitudes to various issues, including work and life in the home. One of the more alarming findings is that of the women surveyed, only 33% reported that their male partners contributed regularly to housework. Men clearly need some gentle encouragement to contribute to work in the home.

I have made the case for many years that men require recognition as fathers in the workplace.