Women still ignore female candidates

COMING up to an election, the question arises as to why women are so under-represented in the Dáil.

The argument that it is not alone unjust but inefficient to have women, who are the majority of the electorate, so under-represented seems unanswerable.

Since Mary Kenny was in the past such a high profile member of the feminist movement, I thought she might have some insight into the subject. In Eamon Dunphy’s interview with her on RTÉ on January 13, I was, alas, disappointed. Ms Kenny’s insight into the subject ended with her saying that becoming involved in politics is more difficult for women with children than for others.

We all know that. The real question is why the few women who get through the male-dominated selection process get, on average, fewer votes than male candidates.

For example, in the last assembly election in Northern Ireland, Monica McWilliams, who represented the Woman’s Coalition, lost her seat by a few hundred votes because the vast majority of votes of eliminated female candidates transferred to male candidates.

Why in the past did so many women not vote for the few women candidates who, against the odds, got through the unfavourable selection procedures? Will the majority of women continue to ignore female candidates in future?

Anthony Leavy

1 Shielmartin Drive

Sutton

Dublin 13