Parties urged to run women in general election

POLITICAL parties have been urged to show real commitment to equality in 2007 — by running equal numbers of male and female candidates in the upcoming general election.

Next year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the first Irish equality body, the old Employment Equality Agency, and has also been designated the first European Year Of Equal Opportunities For All, yet Ireland’s record on gender equality is far from exemplary.

Just 22 of the 166 Dáil deputies are women — a mere 13% — and only the Green Party has a stated policy of selecting the same number of male and female candidates. With Síle de Valera and Mildred Fox announcing their intentions not to run in the election, the proportion of women TDs could drop further.