Madam, - Congratulations on your poll of women's attitudes ( The Irish Times, September 27th & 28th). On the whole, it makes cheerful reading - much more cheerful than a similar poll conducted 20 years ago might have done.
I was particularly struck by three figures: 54 per cent said feminism was very important or quite important to them; 78 per cent said the same of equality of the sexes; yet only 38 per cent said politics was important.
These three figures taken together can be construed as follows. Fristly, many but not all women make the connection between the struggles of feminism and the achievement of equality of the sexes - after all, that's what feminism is about.
And secondly, when will women make the connection between politics and the achievement of a better and more balanced life? Ireland lags disgracefully far behind Western Europe in its legislation for work-life balance, support of families, and childcare provision; and it has one of the world's lowest percentages of women in politics. A coincidence? I don't think so.
Those countries with the very best social provisions for men and women with children, and for quality of life for all three - Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland - also have the highest figures in the world for women in parliament and government.
Why aren't Irish women's organisations and groups, many of them better funded than ever, tackling this big elephant in the room? The silence is deafening.
- Yours, etc,
GEMMA HUSSEY, European Women's Foundation, Burlington Road, Dublin 4.