The Church of Ireland
Primate: The Most Revd Alan Edwin Thomas Harper
IAWN Contact: Revd Canon Doris CLEMENTS
General
The Church of Ireland covers the whole of the island even though there are two political jurisdictions. It is in a tiny minority. Population is scattered and there are few parishes in rural Ireland, with clusters of large congregations in cities and in Northern Ireland.
The Church of Ireland comprises two provinces, one of which straddles the border. Of the 12 dioceses, three straddle the border.
Women's issues and concerns
There has never been any preclusion to women sitting on decision-making bodies within the Church. However, women seem to have been reluctant to put their names forward for election to Diocesan and thence to Provincial levels in the Church. There is a majority of men on Central Committees and on General Synod. This is also obvious in the secular world of workplace and voluntary groups. The situation is gradually improving but women need more encouragement to use their talents as leaders and organizers.
Domestic violence has been recognized as serious. More organizations need to face this issue, as does the Church.
Expensive childcare.
High cost of housing means that both partners in a relationship go out to work to pay high mortgages. This in turn causes family problems.
Better facilities for the integration of immigrants.
Vision for women
That all women would be empowered to use their potential to the full.
Women in decision making
General Synod Membership, 2007:
Clerical members 13 women out of 216
Lay members 99 women out of 432
Females were never precluded as members, but the first female members appeared around 1958.
Ordination of women
Deacons: Approved in 1984. No permanent deacons
Priests: Approved 1990. In 2007 there were 89 women priests in total; 30 are incumbents; 22 are curates, 34 are non-stipendiary.
Bishops:
Ordination to any of these positions was allowed in 1990.
Activities related to MDGs and the Beijing Platform for Action
Church of Ireland Bishops' Appeal, Board of Mission, Mothers' Union all support the Millennium Development Goals and Beijing Platform for Action.
Women's organizations
Church: Mothers' Union, (Bishop's Appeal)
Secular: National Council of Women, Irish Aid, Concern, Trocaire, Gorta