It is right and proper that we acknowledge International Women's Day in this House, and statements are the appropriate way to do that. Some Members have doubts about that but I think it causes us to pause in what is normally a busy schedule in politics and to reflect on a particular issue. It allows us to give our own opinions as to how far we have come and whether we have advanced any further than last year or ten years ago or whatever, and then to look to the future and see how we can improve things at a faster pace than what has been experienced over the last few years. The Minister referred to Sr. Stan, a renowned Kerrywoman. Sr. Stan spent most of her life in Kilkenny, working hard on reform. She helped with reform of the church with Dr. Peter Birch and had a huge impact on the views I now hold. I refer to the speakers from Sinn Féin, Deputies Joanna Byrne and Natasha Newsome Drennan. It was nice to see them passionately refer to their past, their mothers and the influence they had on the role in life that both have now found themselves in. Like them, my mother influenced me but perhaps it was long after her death that I realised the value of her input into my life and how she instilled in me the social conscience that I have and the backbone to stand up and fight for those who are less well-off and those who are marginalised. I would love to see a lot of action follow on from the statements here in this House and I would like to point my suggestions to the Members of this House. We have now made history in that we have a female Ceann Comhairle and we had a female Leas-Cheann Comhairle in the previous Dáil. That is a reflection of some of the change that is happening, but how are we towards the Ceann Comhairle? How were we towards the Leas-Cheann Comhairle? What I witness here on the Order of Business is nothing but disrespect from a lot of Members and I think there is time to pause and consider-----

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-----how we interact with someone who holds office and is interested in change-----

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Perhaps the Deputies would have respect for me. I listened very carefully to them.

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I strongly believe that in this House we have to lead by example, regardless of how we feel about each other politically. Looking back on my career, in my years on Kilkenny Corporation I was influenced by the likes of Margaret Tynan, who was a trailblazer in her own way and encouraged women to stand for politics, Evelyn White, Carmel Boyd and other strong characters who formed policy at local level, were constructive and blazed a trail. I also wish to emphasise the changes that we could bring about with regard to mental health and the care of women, or the care of women generally in the whole area of health. I have listened carefully to older people who found themselves in hospital, particularly women in mixed wards. They find it extremely difficult. They would prefer an alternative or to go back to the way it was. We need to consider the views and feelings of people who have a concern and are in a vulnerable position. The same can be said in respect of general hospitals and psychiatric hospitals. We have a responsibility to listen and to change the circumstances so that everyone can feel comfortable. I wonder how the State feels - I will mention it again, as I do regularly in the House - about the family of Shane O'Farrell and how the State treated Lucia O'Farrell, a woman concerned about the death of her son, a woman who has campaigned continuously since that death and has shown that within the DPP, the Department of Justice and the Garda changes can be made. Did anyone within the system - I know a lot of Members did so - reach out to her to say, "Can we learn from you? Can you give us that mother's experience of the awful death of your son and how things can change?" Did we learn from the thalidomide group who came before us in many forums here in Leinster House? They are still waiting for the State to acknowledge and compensate them. No, we did not. There is no decision in respect of their case. There is also the ongoing case involving Lois West and the Garda. We do not reach out to people who have something to say and give the opportunity not only for them to articulate what happened to them but to inform us of the changes that are needed. In Tusla, there is a huge amount of change needed in the context of instances where women feel they are treated badly. These are a few of the issues I believe could be addressed in a meaningful way to impact on the lives of women. The sooner we put action to our words, the better.

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