A conference on the position of women in Irish society has heard how most disadvantaged groups in Ireland contain more women than men.
Well-known social activist Sister Stanislaus Kennedy told the "Women in Irish Society" conference in Killarney this morning that women are at a particular disadvantage if they headed one-parent families, are in low-income households, are old or homeless, or have been the victims of violence.
She said that 17 per cent of children in Ireland live in poverty and by far the majority of those live in households headed by women on their own.
Sr Stanislaus also criticised the social insurance system which, she says, excludes the current generation of older women. This, she argued, results in them having inadequate access to the income maintenance system.
Sr Stanislaus criticised the housing situation which, due to the increase in its value, has resulted in rents being now beyond the reach of most people on low incomes.
She said homelessness has increased "at a phenomenal rate" in recent years. The number of homeless women with children in Dublin has risen almost ten-fold since 1983.
"This is nothing short of disgraceful, coming as it does after 15 years of unprecedented prosperity and budget surpluses," Sr Stanislaus said.
Sr Stanislaus, who is also head of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, also stated her concern at the position of immigrant women in Ireland. She said they were particularly susceptible to low pay, harassment and exploitation.