Abstract

Menstruation remains an under-recognised but significant factor shaping students’ participation, wellbeing, and attendance in Irish primary and post-primary schools. While recent policy attention has focused on period poverty and access to menstrual products, evidence suggests that product provision alone does not address the broader structural, cultural, and organisational barriers experienced by students who menstruate. Drawing on Irish education policy, national data, and international comparative evidence, this article advances an evidence-based policy commentary on menstrual equity in schools. Using a substantive equality perspective aligned with established Irish approaches to disadvantage, inclusion, and wellbeing, it examines how current policy responses fall short and what a more coherent, system-level approach might entail. Comparative analysis of the New South Wales Menstrual Hygiene Program illustrates how integrated provision, curriculum reform, and student participation can be embedded within education systems to address menstruation-related challenges in schools. The article concludes by outlining implications for policy, school leadership, and inspection within the Irish context.

Keywords: menstrual equity, educational participation, wellbeing, school policy