Irish women have the same right as men to enjoy a life after politics

IT’S a curious thing. If someone rises through the ranks of the Garda Siochána to become commissioner, they’re not expected, when their term ends, to go back to being a rank-and-file garda.

They’re expected to resign and become a director of a security company.

Similarly, when someone in the civil service achieves top ranking, nobody feels they should, once their seven years are complete, revert to clerical officer grade to show commitment. They become consultants.