Labour wants more women in politics

ANY POLITICAL party in which women make up less than 20 per cent of its candidates in future general elections should have its electoral funding cut by half, a Labour Party Private Members’ Bill is proposing.

The Gender Parity Bill 2009 was launched by party leader Eamon Gilmore yesterday.

It was tabled by Cork South Central TD Ciarán Lynch, who moved it in the Dáil last night.

The three-page Bill proposes that payments to political parties for elections be contingent on them reaching a certain quota of women candidates.

The payment would be halved unless either a fifth of the candidates were women or at least a fifth of those elected to the Dáil were women.

The Bill also proposes that the quota of women candidates be increased to a third after seven years, and to two-fifths after 14 years.

Mr Lynch said he was motivated to table the legislation because of the low number of women in Irish parliamentary life. Of 166 TDs, only 22, or 13 per cent, were women.

While women comprise a third of Labour’s parliamentary party, Ireland ranks very low compared to other EU countries. Only four – Slovenia, Hungary, Romania and Malta – rank below Ireland.

By comparison, Sweden has 47 per cent female representation in parliament; Finland has 41.5 per cent; and the Netherlands has almost 40 per cent.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Gilmore said there was a need to “balance up” the electoral choice.

“Basically, it’s about encouraging the presentation of more women to the electorate.”

He did not agree with the proposition that the imposition of quotas with funding implications was “more stick than carrot”.

He, deputy leader Joan Burton and energy spokeswoman Liz McManus argued that it would take generations to reach gender parity if some incentive or encouragement were not introduced.

Ms Burton said: “For a lot of young women who do not like the idea of quotas, and who are used to sisters doing it for themselves, this is not about quotas, this is about a positive opportunity.”

She, Mr Lynch and Ms McManus also referred to the “men’s club” and male milieu of Leinster House that needed to be overcome.

Women TDs in the Dáil: Fianna Fail eight (10 per cent); Fine Gael five (10 per cent); Labour: seven (34 per cent); PD: one (50 per cent); GP: one (17 per cent).

Women deputies: 2007, 22; 2002, 22; 1997, 20; 1992, 20; 1989, 13; 1987, 14.