The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) tonight voted to campaign for free sanitary products to be made available nationally, at a meeting of its national council held in Trinity.
The motion, proposed by USI Vice-President for Equality and Citizenship Megan Reilly, was passed at a council held in the Robert Emmet theatre and will see USI lobbying for the provision of products that “encompass a wide variety of choice”.
Speaking at national council, Reilly said: “I think it’s important that we have a stance, that products are free, and that they are sustainable.”
Period poverty refers to a lack of access to sanitary products due to financial difficulties, which in some cases can lead to a person missing school, college or work when they are on their period.
It is estimated that sanitary products cost an average of €8,100 over a person’s lifetime. Ireland’s National Strategy for Women and Girls identified students as one group at risk of period poverty.
According to a survey of more than 1,100 young girls and women aged between 12 and 19 years, carried out by Plan International Ireland, nearly 50 per cent of Irish teenage girls struggle to afford sanitary products.
Sanitary pads and tampons are currently taxed at zero per cent in Ireland. However, the council noted that newer products such as period cups are subject to 23 per cent VAT.
