Offaly minister highlights inequality on Women and Girls in Science Day

Offaly minister Pippa Hackett and the Green Party is calling for gender equality in Science, Technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields on Women and Girls in Science on Friday, February 11.

According to research, there are well over 100,000 jobs in STEM in Ireland and many jobs in these sectors are amongst the higher paid in the country. However, while women have made huge progress in some scientific fields, just 25% of those working in Ireland’s STEM industries are women.

Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett said: “As someone with a science background, science has shaped how I view the world, scrutinise information and make decisions in politics and on my farm. While women have made incredible strides in STEM fields, only about 25% of these roles are filled by women. We know that many future jobs will be green, and science-based, so now is the time to encourage girls to study science, technology, engineering, maths and agriculture and position themselves in really important and worthwhile careers.”

Meeting Ireland’s climate goals will mean huge investment in research and development and new technologies, as various sectors of the economy move towards sustainable practices.   

Grace O’Sullivan MEP, Green Party Spokesperson for the Marine, said: “As an ecologist, and an environmental education specialist with a particular love of the sea, I have used my grounding in science to pursue a challenging and fulfilling career that puts environmental protection at the core. We must have an even gender balance and perspective in scientific sectors as we tackle the unprecedented climate and biodiversity crises. I'm encouraging young girls and women to get involved in the STEM subjects because they will be the ones that will deliver really important and meaningful jobs for you for the future.”