With a public flogging like this, why do women bother with politics?

I don’t think there’s a single article that has ever been written about a male politician in the same vein, writes Alison O’Connor.

A couple of years ago at a conference organised with the specific purpose of getting more women elected, the then junior minister Kathleen Lynch gave a rousing speech to conclude events.

“Before I die,” the former Cork Labour TD told the audience. “I want to be able to vote for a mediocre woman.”