Do women have the equal rights and status given to all citizens under the Irish constitution?
Shortly after the first Commission on the Status of Women was set up in 1970, RTÉ's 'Wednesday Report' investigated the issue to see if women did in fact have the equal rights and status given to all citizens in the Irish constitution.
In this excerpt from the programme, presenter Brian Cleeve meets Kay Wyer, who has risen from behind the desk to become assistant to the sales manager in a clothing factory. Kay talks about how she is treated by men in the work environment and how having to constantly prove herself may make her seem tough at work.
When you come in contact with a man outside or through business, they're sort of amused in the beginning to find that there's a woman in charge of a section of a factory... When they get over their amusement, they think they can put one over on you.
Kay also comments on the challenges of balancing work and home life and has to involve her husband in domestic affairs more than would be normal for a woman who stays at home.
No one can talk to Mrs Wyre for five minutes without realising that she is any man's equal.
This episode of 'Wednesday Report' was broadcast on 22 April 1970.
'Wednesday Report' was a weekly series presenting a report on and analysis of a matter of current public concern, at home or abroad. It was first broadcast in October 1969 and was presented by Patrick Gallagher, Howard Kinlay and Brian Cleeve.
