A woman’s place - Women still sidelined by politics

IT is entirely appropriate that on the day a parliament, where less than 14% of the members are women, is dissolved that the Central Statistics Office publish a report on the contrasting lives of Irish men and women.

It is more than appropriate, in fact. Political under-representation for women is an entirely pressing issue and it has been given little more than lip service for far too long, especially as our paltry ratio — Sweden has 45%, Holland 40% and Trinidad and Tobago at 28% have twice our representation — might even fall when the 31st Dáil is elected. The average female representation in national parliaments for the EU’s 27 countries was nearly 25% last year so we lag behind our EU colleagues by a considerable and embarrassing margin.

This patriarchy has shaped the political culture and practice that has made this month’s election so seminal. It has allowed issues that should have been resolved a long time ago go mouldy in the pending tray. It has contributed to the mind set that has repeatedly failed to deliver legislation on children’s rights and protection.