Sinn Féin spokesperson on Higher and Further Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Rose Conway-Walsh TD, has celebrated women and girls within the STEM sector in Ireland, on the UN International Day for Women and Girls in Science.

Speaking today, Teachta Conway-Walsh said:

“Today on UN International Day for Women and Girls in Science, I want to pay tribute to the many women and girls across Ireland who are studying and working in the sector.

“In Ireland we are fortunate to have many female trailblazers working at the cutting-edge of scientific innovation, education research and technology. 

“This has included women working on vital research as part of vaccine development and roll-out, which has been pivotal during the Covid-19 pandemic. Undoubtedly, this will have inspired new generations of girls to pursue a career in this sector.

“We have made huge strides towards better female representation in STEM over the last decade. However, while this progress is welcome, there is still much more to be done.

“Figures from the Central Statistics Office suggest that just 25% of roles in Ireland which use STEM skills are held by women. We need to build on this towards achieving equal gender representation.

“In order to achieve this, we must ensure we remove barriers to participation which many women and girls encounter. We need to increase funding within the sector, including towards schemes promoting gender equality and to highlight the work of excellent role models.”