Colette Finn: The unfairness of the meritocracy

Five of the six women on Cork City Council have formed a women’s caucus, writes Colette Finn

(Left to right) Councillor Colette Finn; Cllr Fiona Kerins; Cllr Lorna Bogue; Cllr Mary Rose Desmond, and Cllr Deirdre Forde of Cork City Council’s Women’s Caucus. File photo: Michael O'Sullivan

IN MARCH I was described as being “furious” at a city council meeting by this paper. Was I furious? Yes, I was. I was furious at the sexist language of a male councillor and I called it out for what it was. 

I said that Cork City Council was a “boy’s club”. I have spent over a decade convincing women that they need to be in politics at every level, from the local to the national. Our city is not a “boy’s club” and cannot be represented by one.