Submission to Constitutional Review of Electoral Reform

Published: Monday, January 25, 2010

Whether elected or appointed, the overwhelming number of those in positions of decision-making in Ireland are male. With women making up 50 per cent of the Irish population, the figures in this research show an evident deep and systematic inequality. They are proof of a failure by successive Governments to end discrimination against women in political and decision-making positions. It is little wonder that for many girls and women a career in politics or public life is still seen as 'not for us', rather as 'jobs for the boys'. The percentage of women in the Dail has plateaued at 13%, and Ireland ranks 59th out of 120 nations in the world when it comes to women's parliamentary representation - lower than the European, American, and Asian average, and on par with the average for sub-Saharan Africa (13%).

The implications of having such a low representation of women in the Oireachtas has meant poorly developed policies on women's equality, reliance on the EU to provide protection and improvements for women in Ireland, continuation of structural inequalities in welfare and employment systems and a reinforcement of the unequal role of women as the primary carer in Irish society. All of which has lead to significant negative consequences for women's equality.

In this regard the National Women's Council welcomes the Review of this Committee into the Electoral System for the election of members of Dail Eireann and particularly welcomes the specific attention given to the representation of women in Dail Eireann as part of that review.

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