The Director of the National Women's Council of Ireland has said that the pandemic and restrictions imposed because of it have highlighted a number of issues for women.
Orla O'Connor said people are noticing that there are low numbers of women in senior leadership.
She thinks that has made an impact in some of the decisions that have been made around Covid-19.
Care
Ms O'Connor said this year, issues around care are key.
"We now have a citizens' assembly looking at the issue of care. We want to see the Government have a referendum on care, to recognise the value of care in the Constitution. But we also need to see a real investment in public services, in public childcare, in public universal social care services.
"Because unless that happens women will never reach equality."
She said they are seeing women at the end of their tether, struggling with care issues at home and home-schooling. It highlighted, she said, the lack of public childcare and public care services, but also the disproportionate impact of care on women.
Ms O'Connor said men need to take up the caring roles to a much greater degree.
Pay gap
Orla O'Connor said the gender pay gap in Ireland is at 14% and has been fairly static.
She said it is about women working in jobs that are low paid, women having to make decisions about jobs because of the lack of proper childcare, and the low numbers of women at senior level.
She said the gender pay and pension gap is at over 30%.
She said there are huge issues around the gender pay gap and what needs to be done around low pay, around care, senior decision making and a proper pension system for women.
Maternity leave
On maternity leave for TDs, Orla O'Connor said that it was quite incredible that in 2021 we are faced with the first minister to take maternity leave, and seeing what effect it is having in that we might need new legislation.
It really shows, she said, that our system of politics needs to change, adding that it is archaic.
