I’m all for everyone who feels unrepresented, including women, to be more involved in the political system. I agree it’s easier said than done. However since when has making significant change in any walk of life been easy. If we all continue to wait for someone else to make things happen they never will. There certainly seem to be a significant number voters out there saying that they don’t know who to vote for in this election. Surely there are enough of them to create an alternative for future elections. It wouldn’t be easy, but these things never are, otherwise it would have happened by now.

And is the fact that’s an “unrealistic option” supposed to be the fault of the current male TDs..?

It’s one of the few things we can’t blame on the current TDs really. Without sounding too much like I’m up on my soap box, it’s a societal thing really. This is just the system that has been around since it was very acceptable that there were little or no women in the world of politics, which isn’t really a good enough reason why it shouldn’t be changed.

I never denied that. I agree with you sort of. Women are, generally speaking, more empathetic because of their traditional caring role, and that can mean that they have a different, possibly even a more maternal approach (again, generally speaking) to different issues, which is all the more reason to make a career in politics a more viable option for women.

“they need to look at why women are not represented”

Really? Did you not read the article. They’re nit represented because they don’t run. If one wants to be elected, one must run. I would have thought that this was a fairly straightforward concept.

And to remark that “the majority” of community activists are women is pure horse shit, just because you’ve heard of 1 or 2 in your town doesn’t mean they’re in the majority.

Also, the economic situation were in at the moment has absolutely nothing with whats between the TDs legs, it’s what’s between their ears (or rather,what’s not) that got us into this mess.

I’m all for an intelligent, educated parliament. Male or female.

“I would say that it is difficult to run a meaningful campaign and get elected without some major financial backing. This means that the backing of a political party is usually the only option for candidates.”

Not necessarily true. Catherine Murphy got elected as an Independent in Kildare in the 2005 bye-election. Likewise for Maureen O’Sullivan in 2009. This is despite both constituencies being flooded with canvassers from across the country for the main parties. In 2011 Catherine Connolly looks likely to pick up a seat in 2011 in Galway, with the other two mentioned previously being returned to the Dail also.

Women can only change the Dail by being inside the Dail. To do that they need to stand and be elected. Gender quotas are a possibility, but they aren’t the best solution. Women getting involved themselves is really the best solution.

On a side note I don’t think gender is a deciding factor for many people when it comes to who they vote for. Local and national issues as well as previous political leanings are.

(@ Denise Byrne: AFAIK there is a female Independent candidate called Siobhán Roseingrave running in Wexford)

Women did not declare as candidates at the same rate as men. Do you want to bring in a law to force them? Or do you want to take them by the hand? I’m all for women in politics and would love to see more women declare but forcing or legislating is not the way.