Kildare County Council Library Service Announces Period Poverty Measure
In spring 2022, Kildare County Council Library Service responded to an Expression of Interest from the Department of Health, aimed at local authorities to develop initiatives to tackle period poverty. This follows a successful pilot initiative, at the request of the elected members in the Celbridge-Leixlip Municipal District, which was fully supported by all council members to provide free period products in Leixlip Library.
Period poverty in Ireland was initially brought into focus by the publication, in late 2018, of a Plan International Survey of 1,100 teenage girls, aged 12-19. The survey identified 50% of girls as having occasionally experienced period poverty, and 10% as having used unsuitable products as a result. 61% had missed school on occasion because of their period.
Government has supported a Private Members Bill on Period Poverty; the Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021 (Bill 4) and supported consideration of the recommendations of the Period Poverty in Ireland Discussion Paper and has included measures in the Programme for Government.
Subsequently, the Department of Health has allocated €320,000 to offer supports to local authorities, for focused projects that will inform the costs and logistics of full roll-out of initiatives to alleviate period poverty in local communities.
Kildare County Council Libraries were successful in securing €25,000 to provide free period product vending machines in the bathrooms of all Kildare County Council library buildings and Riverbank Arts Centre with this installation now complete.
Marian Higgins, Acting Director of Services, Kildare County Council said “This is a very significant contribution towards tacking the pressing issue of period poverty for many women in our communities. I would like to acknowledge the generous support of the Department of Health in helping Kildare County Council to deliver this vital resource to those most affected by period poverty”
