Kenny doesn’t promote women on merit

Enda Kenny has said that if he is re-elected to office, his next Cabinet will be comprised of “50/50 of men and women - on merit”.

This is an absolutely laughable statement on Mr. Kenny’s part and you only have to look at his record of promoting women to see this.

In 2012 he hung former junior minister, Roisín Shortall out to dry in her dispute with the then Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly and replaced her with a male TD, Alex White. In 2013 he sacked Lucinda Creighton as Minister for Europe and replaced her with a male TD, Paschal Donohoe.

When reshuffling the Fine Gael junior ministries last July he appointed men to all of the available positions. He appointed one new woman to Cabinet, Heather Humphries, and within weeks her merit was questioned as Mr. Kenny pointed the finger at her during the McNulty affair.

How can he say that her appointment was “on merit”?

And with such a lamentable record on appointing women in this term with such a huge majority, how can he expect us to believe he will improve in his next term under more difficult circumstances?

Thomas Ryan

Mount Tallant Avenue

Harolds Cross

Dublin 6W