learn > news

Latest News

NWC launch Pre Budget Submission saying Budget 2021 must tackle gender inequalities exposed by Covid

Published: Tuesday, September 22, 2020

The National Women’s Council (NWC) today launched their Pre-Budget Submisstion ‘A Feminist Recovery Plan’, which calls on the Government to invest in public childcare, to prioritise public services and to deliver decent jobs for women, in order to tackle glaring gender inequalities exposed further by Covid-19. 

Orla O’Connor, Director of NWC said,

“Budget 2021 is being implemented in the context of a global pandemic which has shone a harsh spotlight, and even reinforced gender inequalities. This is no more so evident in our dependence on the underpaid and undervalued care labour of women; in the inefficiencies of privatised, essential public services; the inadequacies in our social welfare system; and the prevalence of low paid and precarious work in which women predominate. Budget 2021 must build the foundations for a feminist economic recovery, if we are to build a society that works for us all - based on public services, fair taxation, valuing the care economy, equality and sustainability.”

She continued,

“Perhaps the most glaring learning we can take from lockdown and the impact of the pandemic is that care work is absolutely essential for a functioning economy and society. This is our opportunity to solve the childcare crisis once and for all, by delivering in Budget 2021 public, early childhood education and care. This means increased investment in Early Years, rising to at least 1% of GDP over the next decade. It means funding national afterschool care, supports for childminding and the Childcare Ireland agency. Critically, we must see the introduction of a Living Wage for all Early Years Educators in 2020.”

Orla O’Connor concluded,

“It is critical that this Budget chooses to fund investment through progressive, gender sensitive taxation. It must deliver universal public services on the basis of need, not ability to pay, by investing in the care economy, health and in housing. As we face into Budget season, and the reality that Covid-19 will be with us for a while to come, it is critical that Government prioritise public childcare, investment in public services and in the creation of decent jobs for women.”

The full Pre Budget Submission can be accessed here

A summary document can be accessed here

Ends /

For more information, please contact Silke Paasche, Head of Communications, 085 8589104.