On International Women's Day we were asked to think of the women who have inspired us. In my case it was my wonderful and beautiful sister, Nicky, who died four years ago this month.

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

She was one of the kindest and most compassionate people I have ever had the privilege to know yet she was also one of the toughest and most determined women I have ever met. Her toughness and determination helped her win a general election in 2011, for which she had fought for a very long time. Unfortunately, she did not have enough time to enjoy it. It also allowed her to fight a most awful disease, namely, motor neurone disease.

With great bravery.

She fought it with great bravery and great dignity. We need more people like Nicky McFadden in politics and in business.

Hear, hear.

Given that yesterday was Research Day, I ask the Leader to call on the Minister for Health to look at budgets for research. Motor neurone disease is an unknown quantity. Nobody knows what causes it or anything about it. There is no cure for it. A lot of research is being done in Trinity College and Beaumont Hospital with Professor Orla Hardiman but as with everything of that nature money is an issue. I ask the Leader to urge the Minister to look into funding for research.

Yesterday, I spoke in the House about the fact that there are not enough women in politics or in business. On this day I ask women and also men to encourage women to get involved in local and national politics and to get involved in business, on their merit, because they are good enough to do the job and not because of gender quotas. What better way could we pay tribute to the people who pioneered votes for women in the early part of this century than to work towards gender parity in Parliament and society in general? Let us take on the motto of those women, namely, "deeds not words". Let us not just talk about gender parity, let us work towards it and let us make it happen.