Gender equality and economic crisis: Ireland and the EU

This chapter explores gender dimensions to the austerity policies which have been pursued across the EU over the recent economic crisis years, with particular attention to Ireland. From a gender equality standpoint, it is interesting to examine the extent to which there are common gender dimensions to the policy processes that have been pursued across the EU. There is a definite gender dimension to the policies that have been implemented, both in Ireland and across the EU, through the years of the crisis and the adoption of austerity policies (Barry and Conroy 2013). This chapter looks at the Irish situation but also takes a comparative perspective drawing on analyses of core policies at EU level, exploring the gender patterns evident in the way in which economic and social policies have been developed and implemented and their consequences from a gender equality perspective (Rubery and Karmessini 2013; ENEGE 2013; Oxfam 2013; Trefell 2012)