A local senator says there has been a 'feminisation of poverty' in low-paid female-led sectors.
Sligo-Leitrim senator Nessa Cosgrove has been highlighting the higher incidence of poverty amongst women in sectors such as Early Years and Health and Social Care.
The Labour representative has been calling for the government to reorientate care policy away from private towards public provision of care.
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Speaking in the Seanad, she also stressed the need for more workplace protections such as paid leave for women experiencing pregnancy loss and those undergoing IVF treatment.
Senator Cosgrove believes women will be discouraged from pursuing a career in these sectors if their work conditions are not improved:
