Latest News

learn > news

32nd Dail must make progress on women’s equality

Published: Friday, May 06, 2016

• 4 women appointed to Cabinet, the same number as 2011 • A missed opportunity by An Taoiseach to honour pre-election commitment to a 50:50 Cabinet • Former NWCI Chairperson and former NWCI CEO hold Cabinet positions Following the announcement of the...

Enda Kenny must remember his pre-election commitment and appoint a gender balanced Cabinet

Published: Thursday, May 05, 2016

Last December Taoiseach Enda Kenny pledged to appoint equal numbers of women and men in cabinet if Fine Gael is returned to power. This commitment was echoed by Michéal Martin in a letter to the National Women...

Women in Ireland deserve an independently governed National Maternity Hospital

Published: Friday, April 29, 2016

In response to reports that the St Vincent’s Healthcare Group is refusing to allow submission of the planning application for the new National Maternity Hospital to be co-located on the St Vincent’s University Hospital site, unless...

NWCI congratulates Alice Mary Higgins on her election to Seanad Éireann

Published: Thursday, April 28, 2016

The National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) congratulates Alice Mary Higgins on her election to Seanad Éireann. Alice Mary is currently Policy and Campaigns Officer with NWCI and took leave to campaign in the NUI Seanad election. ...

Gender proofing our healthcare system will improve health outcomes for all patients

Published: Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Over the coming months Ireland will be examined by the UN under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and will be required to report on how it promotes women’s right to...

Call for Papers for 1916 Hidden Histories Conference at NUI Galway and UCD

Published: Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Call for papers for inter-institutional conferences taking place at NUI Galway and UCD next October as part of the arts and research project, '1916: Home: 2016'. The conferences juxtapose the 20 year anniversary of the closure of the last Magdalene laundry with the...

NWCI condemns suspended sentence for woman in Northern Ireland

Published: Tuesday, April 05, 2016

In response to media reports that a woman in Northern Ireland received a suspended sentence for procuring abortion pills over the Internet, Orla O'Connor, Director of NWCI said, "NWCI condemns the suspended sentence for the woman in Northern Ireland....

Return the records to survivors of symphysiotomy

Published: Wednesday, March 23, 2016

The National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) today called for the medical records of the 700 women who applied to the Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme to be automatically returned to survivors. Orla O’Connor, Director of NWCI said, &ldquo...

Thanks to everyone who shared their voice at #NWCISoapbox

Published: Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Our annual International Women's Day Soapbox was a special one this year, commemorating the women of 1916, and examining what independence meant for the women of Ireland. We were joined by some brilliant speakers and a lively crowd in the...

#FemGen: 35 women elected to the 32nd Dail

Published: Tuesday, March 22, 2016

In advance of International Women’s Day, the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) gathered with newly elected women to mark a breakthough election, which saw 35 women elected to the 32nd Dail. The National Women&rsquo...

Exploitation of women workers not the answer to the childcare crisis

Published: Wednesday, March 16, 2016

The National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) has today called the childcare crisis to be a red line issue in Programme for Government negotiations, and for the new government to increase and ring fence spending in early years...

NWCI stands alongside survivors of symphysiotomy at decision to shred their medical records

Published: Tuesday, March 15, 2016

NWCI has today expressed grave concern that the accessor to the symphysiotomy scheme, Maureen Harding Clark, has reaffirmed her intention to shred applicants unclaimed records after March 20th. Orla O’Connor, Director of NWCI said: “These records constitute...

The History of International Women’s Day

Published: Friday, March 04, 2016

International Women’s Day (8th March) originated from the trade union movement in America in the early 20th century, particularly in the activism of the women who worked in the clothing industry “sweatshops” of the time. In 1907...

Recognising and Challenging our Unconscious Bias

Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2016

A new sample training pack, "Recognising and Challenging our Unconscious Bias", has been launched this month by the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI). Developed for the NWCI by Olwen Dawe of Irish Business Intelligence and Orla Leydon of...

Referendum to Repeal the Eighth Amendment A Red Line Issue