Is there a “cultural assumption” that women are expected to do the bulk of childcare and housework in Irish family units?

Irish Examiner columnist Jennifer Horgan thinks there is and is calling for a more equal split in workload between men and women in the home.

It comes after UK MP Stella Creasy came under fire this week for saying she had to forego Christmas parties this year due to her childcare obligations – which she branded as a ‘motherhood penalty.’

On Newstalk Breakfast, Ms Horgan agreed with the MP that the penalty is very much a real thing.

“I don’t think that should be called into question,” she said.

“The research on it is really clear;  in Ireland, women typically do twice the level of childcare than men and more than double the housework.”

Criticism

Ms Horgan disagreed with criticism towards the MP.

“What really bothered me was the women saying ‘Oh I’m a wonderful mother, I love going to collect my kids and I enjoy every moment of motherhood,’” she said.

“It’s that kind of nonsense that really affects us all, we’re all human at the end of the day.

“Parenting is difficult whatever your gender so it’s okay to feel frustrated sometimes if you can’t go to something because of your kids.”

Stereotype

Ms Horgan said there is a certain stereotype out there.

“I think with a lot of women, it doesn’t help to perpetuate the stereotype that it’s your job if you’re a woman to collect the kids every time,” she said.

“I think we’re awful for it as if this is just understood because you’re a woman?

“It baffles me how there seems to be so many couples where the division of labour isn’t equal.”

Conversation

Asked how to deal with such an issue in a marriage or relationship, Ms Horgan said it needs to start with a conversation.

“I don’t want to say that it’s down to women, because that’s not fair as we are the ones suffering from the inequality, but I think it’s down to both of us,” she said.

“Women in relationships need to say, ‘Listen if we’re in this partnership it needs to be equal – I’m not doing more than my fair share of the childcare and housework.

“It’s also of course down to men to realise they are perfectly capable of doing both of those things equally as well as women.”

Ms Horgan added that the “cultural assumption” that women should do more of the housework is wrong in this day and age.

Main Image: A mother tries to work while her child cries. (Prostock-studio / Alamy Stock Photo)