McEntee: 'Regrettable'  Government speakers excluded from National Women's Council rally 

While opposition politicians have been asked to speak at the 'No Woman Left Behind' rally on March 5, no member of the Green Party, Fine Fáil or Fine Gael has been invited to contribute

Justice Minister Helen McEntee Picture: 'I think it's regrettable that there are no Government speakers at this event. But I'm very clear, I think we need to work together.' Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said it is "regrettable" that female members of the Government have been excluded from a National Women's Council (NWC) rally.

The 'No Woman Left Behind' event is due to take place on March 5, outside Leinster House, ahead of International Women's Day.

While opposition politicians have been asked to speak at the rally, no member of the Green Party, Fine Fáil or Fine Gael has been invited to contribute.

Asked about the event, Ms McEntee said: "I think it's regrettable that there are no Government speakers at this event. But I'm very clear, I think we need to work together."

The amount of work that I'm doing in my own role with the National Women's Council is huge and I think we need to look at what our objectives are here and that includes all members of all parties across all of Government." 

She said plans to increase refuge spaces and improve supports for women fleeing domestic and sexual violence are being "co-designed" with the NWC and Safe Ireland.

Asked if she would attend the rally if invited, she said: "I'd obviously consider anything that was asked of me in that regard."

Public funding

Meanwhile, Fine Gael senator Regina Doherty has come under fire for bringing the amount of public funding the NWC receives into the argument.

She said it was a "pity" that the event includes women from Sinn Féin, Labour and other parties, but none from the Government, which she said serves to "exclude and divide us".

"Furthermore, we have a State body that is funded nearly 100% — a very tiny amount of donations — but nearly 100% by Government and State taxpayers' money and the European Social Fund's money and they are intolerant to a certain kind of woman's views and I think that's a real pity given that we do have a crisis of sexual and domestic violence in this country," Ms Doherty told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.

However, People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith said the “indirect threats and opaque references” to NWC funding must end.

Ms Smith, who is among the list of speakers, said the attacks on the council follow a well-tried method where any NGO critical of the Government of the day can face having threats or actual funding streams pulled.

She said: “The message is — get in line and stay quiet.”

She called on the Taoiseach and Tánaiste to make clear that such threats would not be followed up, stating: “This is deeply undemocratic that Government TDs feel they can bandy around such comments and try to subject any NGO to such pressure. It must end. 

Any group is entitled to choose who it invites to its gatherings and who it doesn’t. No TD, Government or other, has an automatic right to be invited.”

In a statement, the NWC said the protest rally aims to bring together women from across Ireland on the key issues women face.

"We believe this is a crucial time for the Government to listen to what women have to say.

"We engage with Government politicians every day and have had numerous events every year in NWC where Government ministers are opening the event and Government TDs and senators are speaking on panels. This is one moment of protest and we welcome all politicians, including Government, to hear what needs to change for women.”