There was a terrific buzz in the City Hall on Friday 2nd May. Minister Kathleen Lynch (Lab) talked of the need for women to have courage when it came to making the changes necessary to increase the number of women elected to Local Councils and eventually to the Dail. She warned that international experience showed that progress would be slow at first. Fidelma Collins (FG) gave a very insightful account of campaigning and the use of tallies from previous elections to maintain and increase support. She argued that preparation was key and that this needed to start six months out from the election date. John Russell (MOVE) spoke of the vision of women and men cooperating as equals to achieve progress in society. Sandra McLellan (SF) spoke of her progression from union organiser to elected member of the Dail.
We all left with renewed enthusiasm for the 50:50 project of men and women as equals in the political world.
