Pressure on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to address gender balance with junior ministries
Social Democrats Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore hit out at the gender balance of the new Cabinet: '51% of the population are women and I think the Taoiseach needs to take that into account,' kshe said. Picture: Alan Rowlette/Rolling News
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are under pressure to address government gender balance concerns, as 23 junior ministers are to be appointed today.
There has been widespread criticism of the gender balance of the Cabinet in recent days after just three women were named as senior ministers last week.
Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore said Ireland should not “countenance any backward steps” on gender balance in politics.
“There will have to be more women on the junior benches compared to Cabinet,” she said.
Ms Whitmore claimed the failure to appoint more women as senior ministers was a major missed opportunity, and the Cabinet should be be more representative of the Irish population.
“51% of the population are women and I think the Taoiseach needs to take that into account,” she said.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has insisted that he will address gender imbalance at Cabinet in his junior ministerial appointments.
“There will be a lot of other appointments as ministers of state tomorrow, with Dáil committees, and then senators,” Mr Martin said. “And in their fullness, you will see us being strong around the gender balance issue."
Gender balance would be seen in Dáil committee and Seanad appointments, Mr Martin said.
Fianna Fáil is to appoint nine junior ministers, while Fine Gael will appoint seven, with the parties already having appointed Mary Butler and Hildegarde Naughton respectively.
Current Fianna Fáil junior ministers Thomas Byrne, Niall Collins, and Seán Fleming are expected to be reappointed.
Despite being dropped from Cabinet, Donegal TD Charlie McConalogue is likely to be offered a junior ministry.
It is widely expected that Mr Martin will appoint Cavan-Monaghan TD Niamh Smyth to the junior benches, with the Fianna Fáil TD having been passed over for promotion in previous reshuffles.
First-time TD Catherine Ardagh is a possible promotion, having previously served as the Fianna Fáil leader in the Seanad. Martin Daly, another new TD, is being tipped as a Fianna Fáil surprise appointment.
Other names in circulation within Fianna Fáil include Timmy Dooley, Christopher O’Sullivan, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, John Lahart, and Michael Moynihan.
The promotion of both Martin Heydon and Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to Cabinet will give Tánaiste Simon Harris two new junior ministers, without any demotions.
For Fine Gael, Neale Richmond, Emer Higgins, Kieran O’Donnell, and Alan Dillon are all seen to be safe for reappointment.
Cork North-Central TD Colm Burke is also tipped to remain on the junior benches.
Newly-elected TD for Waterford John Cummins is also seen as a strong contender for promotion, having served on Fine Gael’s government negotiating team.
One Fine Gael source admitted that there is a “woman problem” within the government ranks, suggesting that Mr Harris could resolve this by appointing new TD Emer Currie to the junior ranks.
Junior ministers are also due to be appointed from among the Regional Independents, including Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, Marian Harkin, and Michael Healy-Rae.
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