Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Here's what Irish political parties are doing to encourage women to run in next election

Women for Election is launching a fundraiser, it says the rise of women in the last election could mean that people will now ‘rest on their laurels’.

Updated 9pm

THERE ARE MORE women in the Dáil than ever before, with 35 women TDs taking 22% of the seats in the last election.

That’s a 40% jump on the previous Dáil – where just 16% of the seats were filled by women.

While gender quotas have been largely attributed to this rise, Women For Election, which gives training and support for women who want to enter into politics, says this wasn’t just down to quotas.

Of the 194 women elected in the last election, half of those had been through the Woman for Election programmes. A spokesperson told TheJournal.ie:

The rise wasn’t just about the quota, it got the conversation started. We also had a nearly 30% increase in female independents running.

“We came across lot of women who wanted to get involved in politics but had never even told anyone before. When they came to the courses they met other women with the same ambition – it’s really about signalling that this is a reasonable ambition.”

The gender quota means a party’s state funding can be cut by half unless 30% of their general election candidates are women.

Fianna Fáil went from electing no women whatsoever in 2011 to electing six last year and Sinn Féin tripled their female contingent in the Dáil, from two to six.

Fine Gael didn’t elect any more women but the reduction of their seats from 76 to 50 meant women made up a higher proportion of their TDs.

download (2)

‘Anyone planning on running needs to be thinking about it now’

The spokesperson added that the barriers to women entering politics can be broken down to “the five C’s” – culture, childcare, cash, candidate selection and confidence.

They said that Ireland has traditionally always had a male dominated culture and that childcare is something women have predominantly taken care of.

The issue of childcare affects women at a certain point in their lives. There are a lot of women coming through our programmes who have reared their children and have huge experience in public services because of that.

“In Ireland, women traditionally had less access to cash and to the people who could raise it.”

Regarding candidate selection, the organisation has heard examples of cases where women have arrived at candidate selections, expecting to be selected based on feedback from the common active members, but their opponent within the party would sign up a huge number of new members who would arrive in on the day and their votes would skew the selection.

“The final C – confidence, is often that women don’t see themselves as being qualified whereas men don’t see to have that same concern.

Women always want to know what qualification then need and how can they become qualified. They don’t recognise their experience of life and in the community and a desire to be a public servant. Men don’t feel the need to be qualified in the same way – women need to recognise their strengths.

“In the past, the larger parties didn’t create an environment that is supportive to women.”

Looking ahead 

TheJournal.ie asked the three biggest political parties in the country about their plans to encourage women to run for the next election.

A spokesperson for Fine Gael said, “The introduction of gender quotas by the Fine Gael Labour Government was a landmark moment in increasing the participation of women in politics.

Fine Gael currently has more women elected to the Dáil than any other party but there is much more to be done to encourage women into political life. We are working to encourage and support women at all levels of the Party including through mentoring and training.

A spokesperson for Sinn Féin said, “We have consistently been among the highest parties in putting women forward for elections, both North and South of the border. 35% of our candidates in the last general election were women.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Fianna Fáil said, “Fianna Fail is committed to ensuring the equal representation of women at all levels of Irish society and not least in national and local government.

“We will continue to support our elected representatives and prospective candidates and provide both general and focused training similar to the Campaign Bootcamps we rolled out prior to the last election.”

The spokesperson for Women For Election added, “Anyone planning on running in local elections needs to be thinking about it now.”

Women For Election run one day training programmes for women interested in politics and a three day programme for women who want to be a candidate.

The organisation hopes to train 300 women in 2018 in the run up to the next election. The courses run in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Limerick.

It’s launching a crowdfunding campaign to raise €50,000 to support its work training more women to run for public office.

Read: Politician makes Australian history as she becomes the first to breastfeed in parliament>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
73 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute stephen kavanagh
    Favourite stephen kavanagh
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:12 PM

    I’m glad she’s mixing with all the great thinkers of the day

    356
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Uncle Monty
    Favourite Uncle Monty
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:21 PM

    Bunch of tinkers alright…

    247
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Duck Knight
    Favourite Duck Knight
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:33 PM

    Smart move by Hillary. Sort out the idiot vote

    228
    See 7 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ryan Anthony
    Favourite Ryan Anthony
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:36 PM

    Seeing these ***res get pumped up PR wise makes me angry, I’d say I’d be even more so if I had daughters. Whats it teaching them? Don’t be intelligent, don’t work hard, don’t develop yourself don’t have a career plan, just accidentally on purpose release a porn tape of yourself naked taking a hammering from behind for the whole world to see, act dumb, ignorant and light headed, fake date a few famous guys being seen holding their hand on red carpets in front of dumb photographers and you’ll get $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$…do it the other way you can still make it…and be paid $0.70c for every situation where a man makes $1.

    You can even run to become the first female President after decades of hard work and compromise…and then some PR man will tell you that you have to associate with one of the ones who released a tape of herself being jackhammered and acted like a dumb sh111t as part of bringing in the youth vote.

    141
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute stephen kavanagh
    Favourite stephen kavanagh
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:40 PM

    So right Ryan, I simply wouldn’t bother if I was her, I’d sooner not be President, it smacks of desperation if she thinks that can get her the youth vote, most young people would see through that instantly

    50
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute VinHeffer89
    Favourite VinHeffer89
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:46 PM

    Sadly, many, many young people actually won’t see through that, Stephen.

    66
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute stephen kavanagh
    Favourite stephen kavanagh
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:59 PM

    Maybe not Vin but they still won’t vote for her just because she took a selfie with Kim Kardashian. So she’s lost street cred with those who look down on the Kardashians – a sizeable demographic – without gaining anything in return

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Liam Byrne
    Favourite Liam Byrne
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 3:06 PM

    Even a broken clock tells the right time twice a day.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jake Race
    Favourite Jake Race
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 3:50 PM

    Since when do young people vote?

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
    Favourite Jimmy Jim-Jim
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 4:14 PM

    This will be long forgotten by the time that election rolls around.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute L-Plate
    Favourite L-Plate
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:14 PM

    I think we a losing the concept of a selfie. What happened to a good aul photograph?

    82
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
    Favourite Jimmy Jim-Jim
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:16 PM

    They may be lacking in the literacy department.

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute GuinnessPower
    Favourite GuinnessPower
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:13 PM

    Seriously who cares.

    58
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute LesBehan
    Favourite LesBehan
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:29 PM

    I only have a vague idea who this is, I was never a big fan of Star Trek.

    56
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel Dudek Corrigan
    Favourite Daniel Dudek Corrigan
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 3:08 PM

    “Meanwhile, Kris Jenner also managed to get a selfie”

    No, that’s not a selfie…

    52
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
    Favourite Mark Gerard Lochlain
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:15 PM

    Hurry up and post the Irish Water article about the lead pipes!!! It’s been on other social media all morning! What’s keeping the Journal??

    46
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Supernova
    Favourite Supernova
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:23 PM

    Everyone I read about the Kardashians or look at pictures of them I just shake my head

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack DaCosta
    Favourite Jack DaCosta
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:32 PM

    What do Kim Kardashian and Hilary Clinton have in common?
    Answer:
    They’re both 99% false.
    Don’t mention it.

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Sands
    Favourite Michael Sands
    Report
    Aug 8th 2015, 12:33 AM

    They always seem to have new dresses unlike Monica?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Andrew English
    Favourite Andrew English
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:48 PM

    Wow. America is truly f*cked. I would be ashamed if I was American. Imagine having to stoop that low in order to get some publicity. The majority of that aliens followers on Twitter won’t even know who Clinton is. Probably think it’s a selfie before she goes on to the Ellen show.

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Reardon
    Favourite James Reardon
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 4:54 PM

    exactly, imagine our country voting for a president because she had a photograph taken with a woman famous for being a cum bucket. A good looking cum bucket. but still a cum bucket.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shawn Rahoon
    Favourite Shawn Rahoon
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 4:55 PM

    The majority of Americans couldn’t give a fiddlers f**k about kardashian or clinton. or what others think of them.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Infidel
    Favourite Infidel
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:21 PM

    Wow never mind her email scandal or her plummeting poll numbers. The journal has begun it’s fawning extra early!

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute stephen
    Favourite stephen
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:30 PM

    Is there no barrel Clinton won’t scrape?

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack DaCosta
    Favourite Jack DaCosta
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:41 PM

    ‘Barrel’? (as in oil barrel)
    Subliminal puns.
    Very good Stephen.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Sands
    Favourite Michael Sands
    Report
    Aug 8th 2015, 12:32 AM
    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute thejynxeffect
    Favourite thejynxeffect
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 3:25 PM

    Hanging out with Kim Kardashian? Great way to appeal to the braindead

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jake Race
    Favourite Jake Race
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 3:28 PM

    Sure, but it was all forgotten 3.5 seconds after the event. Kardashian fans don’t have big attention spans.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jake Race
    Favourite Jake Race
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 3:33 PM

    Is anyone a little freaked out by by this alliance between the Kardashians and Klintons? What if they join forces with the Ronulans? They could be headed for the neutral zone as we speak!

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Luke McDermott
    Favourite Luke McDermott
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:21 PM

    This assault on the brain still isn’t as bad as the crap spewed by the GOP.

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ryan Anthony
    Favourite Ryan Anthony
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:24 PM

    Gotta love the Dems…they’re so weak and ashamed of being liberals they are willing to vote for anyone the establishment says is ”centrist”. So you have Hillary going about with progressive language and speeches so another 08 does not happen. When she bashes the too big to fail banks who are funding her campaign they respond to the WSJ’s questions with “don’t worry, we know she doesn’t mean it”…seriously they said that.

    You have a candidate faking working for the voters, a special interest group admitting that they’ve basically got the candidate bought and paid for in a major world newspaper…and yet this person is still the absolute front runner, that’s when you know you have a broken system!

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute tk0CXKzL
    Favourite tk0CXKzL
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 3:36 PM

    so basically idiots who care about the Kardashians are being influenced to vote for Hillary for no other reason than photos with her. So in a round about way, the Kardashians are influencing the vote as to who could have their finger on the nuclear button. This is how crazzzy the world has become

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jake Race
    Favourite Jake Race
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 3:27 PM

    Ah crap, now I have to hate Mrs Clinton.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Charles Coughlan
    Favourite Charles Coughlan
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:16 PM

    Kim who…… Why demean yourself hanging around with a wannabe

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Luke Evans
    Favourite Luke Evans
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 2:25 PM

    rampant capitalist tr@mps

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Guru
    Favourite The Guru
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 3:25 PM

    Made out to be a spur if the moment thing. Sad fact is that this has probably been planned for months and even sadder it will probably have a very positive effect for Hilary.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Garwig
    Favourite Garwig
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 3:32 PM

    Bellends

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Lenehan
    Favourite Brian Lenehan
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 5:26 PM

    Hang on… Fox News hosted a monster two-part Republican candidates debate last night (which may well determine the future POTUS) and The Journal stages a blackout of it. Instead they publish an article about the probable Democrat nominee getting photos taken with a family of talentless attention-junkies?
    The Journal just doesn’t make sense to me anymore.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Reese
    Favourite John Reese
    Report
    Aug 7th 2015, 7:02 PM

    Sadly this is what all young air head voters will care about…what celeb is supporting who.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anthony Byrne
    Favourite Anthony Byrne
    Report
    Aug 8th 2015, 11:05 AM

    FS.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Sands
    Favourite Michael Sands
    Report
    Aug 8th 2015, 12:30 AM
    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds