Ó An Roinn Breisoideachais agus Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta
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Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris and Minister of State for Skills and Further Education Niall Collins have today announced the roll out of free period products in the further education and training sector.
The Programme for Government commits to provide a range of free, adequate, safe, and suitable period products in all educational publicly-funded settings, including schools and third level colleges, to ensure that no students are disadvantaged in their education by period poverty.
9 colleges across 6 ETBs (Education and Training Boards) will be involved in this pilot initiative, which will see free, sustainable period products and dispensers for students.
Speaking today, Minister Harris said:
“The provision of free period products is a really important initiative. It seeks to ensure no students are disadvantaged in their education by period poverty.
“We have worked with our higher education partners to provide these products and today, we are taking another step forward by extending this important project to the further education and training sector.
“This will be a really important tool in helping to address need, but also with a view to ending gender inequity and reducing stigma.”
In total nine centres across Ireland will be involved in this pilot . These are located in Longford Westmeath ETB; Tipperary ETB, Donegal ETB; Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB; Dublin Dun Laoghaire ETB; and Waterford Wexford ETB.
Minister Harris added:
“Today is International Women’s Day and it is important we take every step to ensure our female students are not disadvantaged in their studies.
“We have much more to do but I hope today sends a strong signal that we have listened to our students and we are willing to work with them to ensure their needs are looked after.”
Minister Collins said:
“Access to education is rooted in the principles of equality and social inclusion, and it important that no one is left behind due to their socio-economic background, gender or other circumstances.
“I welcome this pilot initiative and hope it’s success will see it extended across the whole ETB network. No one should have their education disrupted because of period poverty.”
Director of Further Education and Training at ETBI, Dr Fiona Maloney, said:
“ETBI is delighted to launch the ‘Worryfree’ campaign today – on International Women’s Day 2022.
“We know that period poverty is a problem in Ireland and this campaign will help ensure learners can focus on their education and training programmes without having to worry about the cost of period products. We hope to see this pilot scheme prove successful and for the ‘Worryfree’ campaign to become a permanent fixture in every ETB in Ireland.”
The free period product trial aims to progress the key recommendations from the ‘Period Poverty in Ireland’ Report in Further Education and Training sector. The initiative will help those in need and will ensure women do not neglect their education and training due to period poverty.
A discussion paper on Period Poverty in Ireland was jointly published in January 2021 by Ministers O’Gorman and Donnelly.
There have been a number of developments following the publication of the Report. Government has supported a Private Members Bill on Period Poverty; the Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021 (Bill 4), proposed by Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee and sponsored by Senators Catherine Ardagh and Mary Fitzpatrick, which seeks to make period products freely available to all those who need them. A debate on the matter was held in Seanad Éireann on 8th February, 2021; the Bill has now passed to Committee stage.
Government has further agreed that the recommendations of the Period Poverty in Ireland Discussion Paper be taken into account in terms of further development of the Bill and that cross-government, inter-departmental, interagency and societal support for the Bill and related implementation measures should be sought, including from voluntary and private sector organisations that provide services funded by the State, as well as from public service providers. The recommendations of the Report include, but are not limited to, consideration of the provision of free period products in public buildings, through publicly funded services and in the context of education.
The Department of Health has established a Period Poverty Implementation Group, with representation from most government departments, to achieve cross sectoral input and to co-ordinate oversight of both the Bill and implementation measures recommended in the Discussion Paper. The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is represented on this group. It is envisaged that the work of the Group will address the indignity experienced by those who may need period products every month but cannot afford them.
Funding of €714,000 has been provided to the Department of Health for period poverty in Budget 2022, this will support initial testing and roll-out of measures to support Travellers and Roma, other high priority groups and measures to be taken by local authorities.