Equality in the social welfare system, universal free pre-schooling, extensions of national health screening programmes and the distribution of funds earmarked for combating violence against women will top the list of issues on today's pre-budget submission by the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI).
The 2008 budget, the organisation said, presents an opportunity for the Government to make good on election-year promises regarding issues of particular interest to women.
"The NWCI pre-budget submission highlights where resources are urgently required to address the persistent inequalities and discrimination which women experience every day in Ireland," said Orla O'Connor, NWCI head of policy. "The NWCI is calling on Minister Cowen TD to address these issues in Budget 2008 and in doing so, to deliver on promises which have already been made, yet again, to the women of Ireland."
Pointing to the Government's launch of the National Women's Strategy and its commitment to equalising socio-economic opportunity, NWCI recommended abolishing the category of "qualified adult" within the social welfare system, under which payments intended for dependent women go directly to husbands.
"The system is based on a very outdated male breadwinner model," said Ms O'Connor.
Women account for more than 95 per cent of qualified adults in the system, and the practice of excluding them from receiving payments in their own right leaves them vulnerable to violence, aggression, control and poverty, NWCI stated.
Initiation of universal early education for three- and four-year-olds was also urged, at an estimated cost of €178 million, as well as the allocation of funds to ensure the Irish Cervical Screening and BreastCheck programmes was extended nationwide without delay.
The submission also called for immediate distribution of the €4.5 million dedicated in the 2007 Budget to frontline responses to violence against women, in addition to any funds allocated in 2008.
"This Fiannna Fáil Government has made a lot of promises around changing the system, and we're not actually asking for new things," said Ms O'Connor. "We just want them to deliver."