Eilis Barry

The independent legal, human rights and equality organisation has written to members of the Oireachtas to highlight the barriers to justice faced by women in Ireland, including a system of civil legal aid which is in crisis and ineffective anti-discrimination legislation, and how those barriers can be addressed.

The theme of International Women’s Day 2026 — “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls” — resonates strongly with FLAC’s ongoing equality and civil legal aid campaigns, the group says.

Eilis Barry, chief executive of FLAC, said: “It is really important that we go beyond platitudes on International Women’s Day 2026.

“If we want to improve the situation of women in a meaningful way and make their rights real and effective, we need to ensure access to justice by addressing the ongoing civil legal aid crisis.

“The minister for justice urgently needs to set out a timeline and action plan for reform of that system.

“FLAC recently outlined our comprehensive and practical recommendations in this area to the Oireachtas justice committee.

“Measures which would improve the lives of women in a practical way include removing the highly restrictive means test for access to civil legal aid in cases concerning domestic violence.

“Legal aid should be made available in discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, equal pay, and maternity and pregnancy protection cases.

“We need a properly-resourced national legal information and advice services so that women, including victims of domestic violence, can have easy access to legal information on all of their family, housing and welfare rights.”

She added: “The government should also finalise and enact the Equality (Miscellaneous Provision) Bill 2025 which would be a clear statement of Ireland’s commitment to gender equality.

“The 2025 bill should clearly prohibit intersectional discrimination so that older women, disabled women and Traveller and Roma women who have experienced this form of combined discrimination will be protected from discrimination.

“Areas such as social welfare, social housing, healthcare, and the functions of public bodies that impact on the lives of women — like the Department of Health, the HSE, and the Department of Social Protection — should be brought explicitly within the scope of  the equality legislation so that discrimination in these key areas can be challenged.”