All-male period discussion shelved

Six male councillors discussing period poverty is not appropriate.

That was the view of Fianna Fáil councillor Mary Rose Desmond after she asked that a motion she co-signed be discussed at a full meeting of Cork City Council, rather than the subject being debated at a Corporate Policy Group meeting.

During this week's Cork City Council meeting, Cllr Desmond said: “I don’t agree with the motion being referred to the Corporate Policy Group. I understand why it is going there but it’s an all-male committee and I don’t think it’s appropriate that it should go to an all-male committee for discussion. I think it should be brought back and discussed at full council.”

The motion in question asked that “in view of the fact that Irish women and girls spend an average of €132 every year on tampons and sanitary towels that Cork City Council would follow other cities in providing free sanitary products in its buildings”.

The motion also asked for Cork City Council to facilitate drop-off points to allow people to donate sanitary products for vulnerable groups.

“We call on the Government to provide support to allow tampons and sanitary products to be accessible to vulnerable groups such as the homeless and asylum seekers,” said the motion.

The motion was co-signed by Fianna Fáil councillors Mary Rose Desmond and John Sheehan, Independent councillor Lorna Bogue and Sinn Féin’s Fiona Kerins.

Speaking with the Cork Independent, Cllr Sheehan who is a Blackpool-based GP, said it’s not something people like to talk about, especially to a male.

“But the reality is that it has a significant financial impact. For example the cost for a single mother with two daughters is very significant. There are also people in homeless accommodation that it’s impacting too. We need to start about talking about issues like a lot more,” he said.

Cllr Sheehan said he was happy that motion would be discussed at a full meeting of Cork City Council.

“This motion was meant to go to the Corporate Policy Group and I just think and feel that six males gathered around a room discussing period poverty would be like something out of a comedy sketch,” he added.