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.

If a TD’s life is demanding, it pales into insignificance compared to the cut and thrust of Northern politics. Arlene was born close to the Fermanagh border. She spent the longest seven minutes of her life hiding in her bedroom to escape the IRA gunman who killed her father, John Kelly, an RUC reservist, at the kitchen door. She also survived a bomb which exploded under the school bus. A dedicated politician, she well respected by Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan who believes they “share the same objective and determination to advance peace and stability in Northern Ireland for the benefit of all its people”. She deserves to succeed.