The voices of women must be heard when it comes to healthcare – Mary Lou McDonald TD

» Callum Smyth

“The voices of women must be heard when it comes to healthcare. We are advocating a health system that is sensitive to and reflects gender differences." - Mary Lou McDonald TD

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald TD along with Dáil Health spokesperson Louise O’Reilly TD and Assembly spokesperson on Mental Health Órlaithí Flynn MLA today launched Sinn Féin’s all-Ireland women’s healthcare policy document entitled ‘A Vision for Women’s Healthcare’.

Speaking at today’s launch in Dublin City Centre, Teachta McDonald highlighted the many injustices suffered by women in Ireland in the field of health.

The Dublin Central TD said: “From the outrageous wrongdoings of thalidomide and symphysiotomy in the past, to the unfolding vaginal mesh implant scandal and the CervicalCheck scandal, women have suffered in the provision of healthcare in this State.

“When it comes to safeguarding women’s health and wellbeing, history shows a litany of practices and policies where an appalling combination of official, whether clinical, clerical, or political, ignorance and arrogance not only led to women enduring injustice and injury but also the duration of that ill treatment being wilfully prolonged.”

The Sinn Féin policy document looks at how gender massively influences health, amongst other things, and that lessons must be learnt from the mistakes of the past and present.

Teachta McDonald continued: “The voices of women must be heard when it comes to healthcare.  We are advocating a health system that is sensitive to and reflects gender differences.

“While always being cognisant of the wrongs of the past, it is imperative that current discrimination is tackled, not only through progressive policy planning, but through action at all levels of our health systems.

“We do not claim to have identified all the issues in the delivery of health services for women across Ireland. Nor do we claim to have advocated all the solutions. 

"What we have done is produce a document which outlines Sinn Féin’s vision for women’s health care in Ireland, a vision that is based on the principles of fairness and equality which we can all work towards together." 

You can read the document in full here.