Ex-camog Cara Hunter backs players in ‘skorts’ row and praises colleague Catherine McDaid

Transcript

00:00May I rise to address the ongoing issue in our national sport of camogie and to highlight the

00:05importance of having equality on the pitch and firstly I'd like to thank all of those who

00:10volunteer and devote hours of their life coaching and engaging with their young women and girls

00:15and encouraging them to get out on the field particularly those within the camogie association

00:20Mr. Speaker full disclosure I haven't played a game of camogie in well over 10 years

00:26but I still miss it I still miss the the cut and the thrust of combat on the pitch and I do feel

00:31really strongly on this issue I think it's really important to highlight the concerns of our young

00:36ladies in camogie who have been very vocal on their want and their desire to choose to wear shorts on

00:42the pitch and a recent survey by the Gaelic Players Association revealed that over 83% of players

00:48prefer the option to wear shorts citing they're more comfortable and more practical I actually did my

00:53own experiment yesterday wearing a skort to the gym and I can tell you it was far from comfortable

00:58these conversations have escalated recently when players from Dublin and Kilkenny took to the field

01:04during a Leinster semi-final only to be told that the match would not proceed unless they changed into

01:10skorts and I think it's not right and the Dublin captain herself described the incident as a career

01:15low questioning why female athletes must still fight for the right to wear the attire that really

01:20suits their needs and our own SELP councillor Catherine McDade in Derry has done a fantastic job

01:26highlighting this issue further protests have less to left led to the postponement of the Munster final

01:33between Cork and Waterford as both team intended to wear shorts in defiance of this ongoing rule

01:38the players there expressed the feeling of feeling completely let down and stating to us it feels like

01:44a massive step backward and today I'm here to say we feel players must be supported in response to

01:50this ongoing issue the Komugi Association has scheduled a special congress on May 22nd to vote

01:56on allowing players the choice between skorts and shorts and I am hoping that the correct decision

02:03is made and choice will be upheld shorts are practical shorts are comfortable and options on being able to

02:10choose what you want to wear for women in sport is so important and it really is that simple some will

02:16say that this is a small issue I disagree some will say there's bigger issues that we can debate or raise

02:21in this house I disagree I think this is a matter of equality and I would often say as well that people

02:27wouldn't say that about issues within male sport we must listen to and respect the voices of all our

02:32athletes across this island and ensuring that tradition does not hinder progress solidarity with these ladies

02:38fighting for equality and I urge all those stakeholders listening today that on May 22nd make the right

02:44decision empower our young Komugi players with the freedom to choose attire that reflects their comfort

02:50and their choice and we in the SDLP wholeheartedly support them