Arlene Foster a role model for all politicians

WITH political parties in the Republic having difficulty enticing female candidates to run for the Dáil, perhaps they should look for a role model in 45-year-old Arlene Foster, newly appointed leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist party. Next month she replaces Peter Robinson as First Minister.

While this country had two outstanding women presidents, Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese, a 30% gender quota had to be introduced in the realm of real politik in a bid to boost female candidates in the impending general election.

For whatever reason, very few women have run for Irish politics. Since Constance Markievicz was elected in 1918, a total of 94 have followed her, including 25 out of the 166 members elected in 2011 plus three more in elections since.