Author Archives: Edel

Public Meeting on Gender Quotas on 22 November

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There will be a Public Meeting – organised by The 50/50 Group – on Gender Quotas at 6.30 – 8.30pm in EU House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2.

Entrance is free.

The 50:50 Group invites you to A Public Meeting on Gender Quotas

This meeting will look at

  • how the introduction of gender quotas might impact the political landscape in Ireland
  • what changes (if any) political parties will have to make
  • whether there will be any real impact on female representation in Irish politics & wider public life

Chair:     Gemma Hussey,  Former Minister & TD

Speakers will include:

Kathleen Lynch, TD, Minister of State, for Disability, Older People, Equality & Mental Health

Fiona Buckley: Lecturer, Department of Government, UCC & co-founder of The 50/50 Group

Claire McGing: IRCHSS Phd Candidate, NUI Maynooth

Carol Hunt: Journalist

Dr. Eoin Daly, Lecturer, School of Law & Government, DCU

All are welcome to come & contribute to the discussion

 

Fine Gael Manifesto

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This is an extract from the Fine Gael manifesto that was published today.

Women in Politics: Fine Gael recognises that there needs to be a substantial increase in the number of women in politics. We will ask the Citizens Assembly, which is examining electoral reform, to make recommendations as to how the number of women in politics can be increased.

Oh no not another examination / report / discussion / set of recommendations and overall excuse to do nothing at all.

How many recommendations and reports do we need to take action on this issue?

At the end of 2009, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality Defence and Women’s Rights chaired by Deputy Bredan Kenneally, produced a comprehensive report on the issue of female political participation in Politics.  In that report, the committee noted the significant advancement that other countries had made with the use of special temporary measures or candidate selection quotas.

Why do we need another committee and another report to tell us that political parties are the gatekeepers to the electoral system.  They must be obliged through legislation to increase the numbers of women that they field in any election at national, local or European level.

We’ve had enough of the hand-wringing concern about the issue.  We need action and we need it now.