Government welcome to attend but not speak at Saturday women’s rally

A rally on women’s equality which has been criticised for its exclusion of Government speakers is due to take place on Saturday.

The National Women’s Council of Ireland’s (NWCI) no woman left behind rally seeks to highlight a number of issues including violence against women, childcare costs, the role of women as carers in the State and the impact the housing crisis is having on lone parents, a majority of whom are women.

The rally will take place outside the Dáil at noon on Saturday, to mark International Women’s Day.

Among the speakers are Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, Labour TD Ivana Bacik, Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall and People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith.

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Female members of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party criticised the council over their exclusion from the rally.

Previously, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said the situation was "regrettable", while Fine Gael Senator Regina Doherty described the decision as "juvenile" and "counter-productive".

However, Orla O’Connor, director of the NWCI, said Government representatives are welcome to attend the rally, but they will not speak from the platform.

Ms O'Connor told RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland the council worked with the Government "all the time", and this was "just one day – a moment of protest".

People from every political party will be welcome at the rally, she added. “This is a moment for them to listen.”

The council is calling on the Government to listen to women’s concerns as they were frustrated at the lack of progress on a range of issues and at the pace of change.

Ms O'Connor said there would be a moment of silence at the start of the rally to express solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

The National Women’s Council of Ireland had spoken with the Women’s Council of Ukraine to discuss how they were dealing with “this horrendous situation”, she said.

There will also be signposts at the rally indicating where people could donate to assist aid in the region.

Asked about criticism of the NWCI for including Ms McDonald as one of the speakers at the rally given the criticism of Sinn Féin’s handling of complaints by women, Ms O’Connor said the council worked with all political parties.

The rally was not pro or anti Government, she said, it was about looking at the issues of concern to women. The most important people coming to the rally are the organisations representing women, she added.