Tánaiste Joan Burton has said Labour is committed to "completely removing" the Eighth Amendment banning abortion from the Constitution, and is the only party that will guarantee a referendum on the issue if part of the next government.

In a speech on the role of women in Irish society and politics, Ms Burton said the country had made significant progress on gender equality - but much remained to be done.

Reproductive rights

"Let me be clear: to attempt to deal with women's reproductive rights in the Constitution was a bad idea in 1983 and it remains a bad idea today. We want the Eighth Amendment completely removed from our Constitution," she told those attending Labour Women's Nollaig na mBan event in Dublin on Wednesday evening, acknowledging women's participation in public life.

“But we are also pragmatic - we know that in order to win a referendum we need to bring people with us step by step.

“We in the Labour Party have always stood up for women when it comes to their reproductive rights. And we are the only party that will ensure that a referendum on the Eighth Amendment takes place.”

Watershed moment

Ms Burton said that while 1992 proved a watershed moment in Irish politics with the return of 20 female TDs, little progress had since been made. The last election saw that number rising to just 25.

The new gender quota - imposing a minimum number of female candidates representing political parties - should help to reshape the landscape, she said.

“There is a lot of talk that half of the next cabinet will be women, as indeed should happen, but cannot unless a sufficient number of women get elected.”

Much has changed, she pointed out, in the last 40 years.

Rape in marriage

Prior to that, women could not sit on juries nor collect children’s allowance payments in their own name, public service jobs were sacrificed for raising children, and rape in marriage was not an offence.

“Today the quest for gender equality is far from over. We have a wide range of issues to tackle, starting with work and pay,” she said.

“If returned to government, we intend to steadily increase the minimum wage so that it becomes a living wage. And we will work hard to close the pay gap between men and women. We will also deliver more measures to help families.”