‘Periods are not a luxury’: €100k allocated for free period products
Dublin City Council has allocated €100,000 for free period products in their 2020 budget.
Period products will be made available in all council buildings, including libraries, swimming pools and community centres.
Labour councillor Rebecca Moynihan proposed the initiative.
“With over 50% of young women and girls struggling to afford products; homeless women not being able to afford or indeed access sanitary products regularly and women in direct provision having to fight to get adequate products, it is so important that this initiative has received cross-party from councillors on Dublin City Council,” she stated.
“If the Government were serious about eradicating period poverty they could take two serious actions in the next budget. Firstly, they could introduce free sanitary products in schools. It is a scandal that young girls are missing school because they cannot afford sanitary products.
Tough #dubcc budget tonight because of removal of #irishwater rates from Dublin but we managed to get 20% of roads budget allocated for cycling (@pidge) and 100k for #periodpoverty sanitary roll out in Dublin City @labour #dublinagreement pic.twitter.com/052ylX4LQY
— Rebecca Moynihan (@RebeccaMoy) November 25, 2019
“Secondly, the Government should examine the VAT on sanitary products that aren’t pads and tampons. Having a broad choice of products available at a lower price point benefits all women.
“Periods are not a luxury for women and girls. It is a part of everyday life and we need to make life easier for those who may be vulnerable positions,” she stressed.
You can join the fight against period poverty by donating period products to Homeless Period Ireland.
They have numerous drop-off points across the city, such as: Tropical Popical, Waxperts, UCD, UL, IADT, Bella Baby, National Maternity Hospital. An up-to-date list of drop off points can be found on their Facebook and Twitter pages.
