A GOOD INVESTMENT! SPEND FIVE MINUTES TO SEND THE ATTACHED COUPON AND GAIN A WHOLE DAY OFF: IT’S WORTH IT! |
A PUBLIC PAID HOLIDAY ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY (March 8th): WHY IT IS NEEDED. Some facts and figures. The largest industry in the country is invisible! - 58% of Irish women are working in the home, without wages or recognition . . . The State saves £471 million a year in the non-profit sector of the economy - including health services, schools and colleges - by the use of 34,000 unpaid volunteer workers . . . 91 % of women involved in farming feel that they do not get adequate recognition of their farm-work from the State . . . Among the industrialised countries, Ireland has the highest proportion (after the USA) of women living in poverty . . . 63% of women in working-class urban areas are forced to do "the double job for one wage", simply to make ends meet . . . 82% of women feel they are expected to perform too many roles nowadays . . . 59% of women feel that they work faster than men... 74.6% of women feel "rushed". . . . 46% of women in the 35 - 44 age-group feel that their chief cause of stress is lack of free time. |
| International
Women's Day began on March 8th 1907, when the women
garment workers of New York went on strike for a living wage and a 10-hour day. On March
8th 1908 the women needle-workers of New York went on strike to end sweatshops and child
labour. From then on March 8th became marked as a date to inspire women world-wide in
their fight for their rights. In 1978 it was officially recognised by the United Nations. Throughout the century Irish women have consistently carried the torch. For example:
The National Women's Council of Ireland, as part of the Social Partnership 2000, successfully insisted that the Irish Government would fulfil its obligation (as agreed at the UN Beijing Women's Conference 1.995) to measure and value the Unwaged Work of women in the home, on the land, in business, and in the voluntary/community sector. To date, a pilot Time/Use Survey has been published by the Central Statistics Office, but the essential full survey has yet to be carried out.Ireland has fewer public holidays than many other countries in Europe. A Public Paid Holiday will benefit everyone! |
| Sample letter to TDs
and Councillors [Insert your address and date] Dear [TD or Councillor] 1/We support the National Women’s Council of Ireland, representing 300,000 women in 144 organisations, in their call upon the Government of Ireland to designate International Women's Day, March 8th, as a Public Paid Holiday. This holiday would be an official recognition by government of the enormous contribution women have made to the wealth and health of the nation, with all the unwaged work they have done in the home, on the land, in business, in the arts, in the voluntary/community sector, and for civil liberties and human rights - together with all their caring work in general - and all the low-waged work they have done in the past and are still doing. Yours sincerely, etc., etc. |
| Endorsement Coupon for Senator David Norris, who is willing to put the project on the agenda of the Senate. Sign, cut out, and send to: Senator David Norris, Seanad Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare St., Dublin 2. |
We call upon the Government to designate International Women's Day, 8 March 2000, as a National Paid Holiday. This holiday would be an official recognition by government of the enormous contribution women have made to the wealth and health of the nation, with all the unwaged work they have done in the home, on the land, in business, in the arts, in the voluntary/community sector, and for civil liberties and human rights - together with all their caring work in general - and all the low-waged work they have done in the past and are still doing.
Signature_________________________________________
Organisation______________________________________ |
A selection of the support pouring in:
National Women's Council of Ireland * NUI Galway Women's
Studies * Castlepark Ladies' Club * Charleville Mall
Women's Art Group * Cork Women's Poetry Circle * June
Gray-Smith * Mary Coughlan * Frankie Gavin * Neil Jordan
Carolyn Swift * The Big Issues * John Arden Nesta
Twomey * Moya Cannon * Ann Enright * John Faulkner
Patrick Galvin * Fat Freddy's * Logan Gallery * TCD
Historical Society * Ald. Padraic McCormack TD (FG)
Nell McCafferty * Cllr. Tom Costello (L) * Community
Media Network * Women in Media & Entertainment *
Renmore Sisters of Mercy * Sharon Murphy * Roscommon
Partnership Co. * N.Leitrim Men's Gp. * Little John Nee *
Mary O'Sullivan * Rod Stoneman * SIPTU Actors' Equity Gp.
* Maureen Beasley * Maggie Bell * Alternative Theatre *
Joanne O'Bree * Mayfield Employment Action Programme
Joe Higgins TD (SP) * INO (Tallaght) * Rosaleen Lynch *
W.Dublin Community Radio * Mary Conneely * Paul Fahy
* Emma Campbell * Liz Hackett * Rynagh O'Grady Maire
Bradshaw * Lelia Doolan * Nancy Coughlan * AfrI * Miss
Ireland 1999 (Emir Holohan Doyle) * Cllr. Marian McGennis
TD (FF) * Ken O'Duffy * Cllr. Joe Costello, (LP) * Maeve
Synnot * Patricia Burke Brogan * Catherine Lombard * SWP
* Maam Women's Group * Westside Men's Project * Andrea
Goldman (Cherish) * etc. . .
| Galway Advertiser November 25 1999 p30 Campaign launched to make March 8 free day for women Gathered in the Town Hall Theatre bar last Thursday were a group of women launching a nation-wide campaign for a public holiday on International Women’s Day March 8. Led by Margaretta D’Arcy, women from all walks of life in Galway joined together in solidarity. |
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| To highlight their cause earlier this year they "arrested" Senator David Norris and tied him up outside Leinster House. He was eventually let out on "parole" on the condition that he brought up the issue in the Senate which he is due to do early next year. Margaretta opened the launch by playing a tape recording of him pledging his support. He is not the only politician to endorse this cause. Letters from people in all walks of political life were displayed during the launch | including from Eamon O’ Cuiv TD, Dick Spring TD, Cllr
Marian McGennis, and Ruairí Quinn TD. Among those speaking or performing at the launch were Bridie O' Flaherty, a woman never frightened to speak her mind, Máire Holmes, Lelia Doolan, Emma Campbell, Sharon Murphy, Mary O' Sullivan and Dolores O' Scóláf. The men were not left out either with Frankie Gavin on flute and Briain Burke on bodhran. Little |
John Nee dedicated a song to the hardships endured by his
mother. One of the main issues raised at the launch was that this 'day's holiday' should
not just be for women employed outside the home but for women who work on their farms, do
housework, care for children, the sick or the elderly. They are all entitled to a day off
– with some kind of payment of appreciation. Michele Viney. |
Leaflet now available in Gaelic! For further information, contact: Margaretta D'Arcy, 10 St Bridget's Place Lower, Galway. Phone: 091 56430. E-mail: margaretta@tinet.ie |