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WITH FIANNA FAÍL struggling to ensure that a third of its general election candidates are female, the party may block some male hopefuls from contesting forthcoming selection conventions.
The issue has become particularly acute in Dublin where two male councillors, Cormac Devlin and Daithí de Róiste, could be prevented from contesting conventions in Dún Laoghaire and Dublin South Central respectively.
This is despite both councillors being considered in some quarters to have the support of the majority of members in each constituency.
Of the four main political parties, Fianna Fáil is the furthest behind when it comes to ensuring that 30 per cent of all its election candidates are female in order to avoid its state funding being halved.
Just under 23 per cent of the 44 candidates the party has picked so far are women.
Sources in both constituencies believe that women-only directives are likely to be issued by Fianna Fáil’s national constituencies committee (NCC) ahead of the conventions, which are likely to take place before the end of next month.
Officially the NCC has yet to make a decision in respect of either constituency and Fianna Fáil declined to comment when contacted yesterday.
In Dún Laoghaire, Devlin is the only male candidate likely to put his name forward at convention with councillors Mary Hanafin, Kate Feeney and Jennifer Cuffe also seeking the nomination.
The convention has been delayed several times having previously been expected to take place before the summer. It is now thought that it will be held in the second half of September.
Internal polling indicates Fianna Fáil can only take a Dáil seat if it runs one candidate in Dún Laoghaire (a four-seater that will effectively be a three-seater if Ceann Comhairle Seán Barret does not retire) presenting a particular difficulty if Devlin were to take the nomination in an open convention.
Local sources believe party headquarters may issue a direction to the 200 or so active members in the constituency to select a female candidate, preventing Devlin from running.
But TheJournal.ie has learned that if this were to happen the Dún Laoghaire-based councillor would consider possible legal action against the party.
“If they try and say that only a woman can be selected, or indeed if they said only a man could be selected, that may not be legally possible, that could be challenged,” a source said.
Meanwhile, in Dublin South-Central, Ballyfermot-based De Róiste is considered the favourite among the 100 or so members in the constituency.
However, party headquarters is believed to favour the selection of Crumlin-based Catherine Ardagh, the daughter of former TD Seán Ardagh.
Amid suggestions that Fianna Fáil may forgo a convention altogether, a constituency source said they expected one will take place but that only one candidate – Ardagh – would be allowed to put their name forward.
De Róiste is not expected to mount any legal challenge if such a decision were made.
Earlier this year, the Markievicz Commission, which was set up to examine ways to increase Fianna Fáil’s number of female candidates, said that some constituency branches should be issued with directions to select a woman at conventions.
Speaking at the launch of the commission’s report, party leader Micheál Martin said that the gender quotas law would mean some difficult decisions would have to be taken.
“It will mean hard decisions, tough decisions, very difficult decisions, but that is the nature of political leadership: it’s the nature of politics,” he said at the time.
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Would you not be embarrassed to accept a nomination when everyone knows you’re just a quota filler?
For €90,000+ I think that I could take the pain!
I earn over 90k as s GP. Not a bother to me.
^
Same troll different handle, Kenneth/Gilhooley.
I would refuse to vote for a woman if she’s only there for a quota. And before the feminist brigade jump on me in the last 3 general elections my #1 vote has gone to a woman but that was on her merit not to fulfil a quota. In the last local elections under 16% of independent candidates were women. 10% of independent candidates in 2011 General Election were women. These are non-party and nominate themselves. So where does this arbitrary 30% figure for party nominations come from? It’s nonsense and time we did away with it and let the best candidates win regardless of their gender.
the problem is the concept of ‘best’. This is Fianna Fail. The barrel-scrapings of politics. ANYONE who supports, represents, or endorses that party is a crook or an amnesiac fool.
I’m speaking in general. I’ve never voted FF in my life nor do I see myself ever doing so. But the party decides the candidates in the GE and the party members should be able choose who they think is the best candidate for the party without being dictated to as to what gender that candidate must be. Same goes for all parties. If it’s an open vote and a female candidate wins then great – but saying the candidate must be female is not.
If a party doesn’t consider one of its own members to be the best candidate to be a member of our government then why should elect them. I don’t care if the person I vote for had s tail asking as they are the best person for the job.
Steve the “feminist brigade” believe in equality not one sex before the other. This is not a feminist issue. There is no law with regard to quotas running for the Dail, anyone can do it, this is FF trying to maximise its attractiveness to women by offering these token candidates so they don’t look backwards and old fashioned. Women don’t campaign for quotas, the best person should get the job. This is a matter of garnering votes and a really poor way of doing it. Again not a feminist issue.
This is FF making sure they don’t have their state funding cut by not having 30% female candidates. The NWCI as a group campaigned for gender quotas as a means to increase the proportion of women in politics. That sounds like women campaigned for gender quotas on a feminist issue to me.
Deborah, you would think that is the case problem is that the nutters within the Feminist movement are giving people who genuinely believe in equality a bad name. The #killallmen brigade for example. They regularly attack men on the internet with a vitriol that is scary for having opinions .
They don’t represent the majority of sane rational feminists of which there are many. Each sex has its bunch of obstacles to deal with, but wobetide anyone who even mutters that men are getting a raw deal. Ask any man who been separated from his wife regarding access to his children. I don’t see any of these feminist groups advocating to change the prevailing law to protect fathers rights.
Men are being silenced when they express an opinion on equality , Womens rights gets votes(but not a seat at the table), mens rights gets you abuse is what seems to the lesson political parties have learned.
We need a more diverse representation in our politics as we replaced one political caste for another. Quotas certainly aren’t a way to do it but the Dail doesn’t seem to have the appeal for women that it does for men or perhaps the party system isnt one where women feel comfortable.
The more I hear and read about this scheme the more it turns me away from Fianna Fáil, not that I’d ever vote for them. As I’ve read this article both the male councillors in question would appear to have the support of the majority of the FF members in their respective constituency, the object is to get the person elected and they’re experienced at doing this so it’s reasonable to expect they have the best chance.
Enter the spanner in the works. Someone decided it would be politically correct to impose this concept of positive discrimination on the electorate, whether we want it or not we’re getting it, portraying women as downtrodden and taking their political freedom will achieve votes. No, it won’t. Half the people who voted they way they did previously were women and the vast majority of people will choose the candidate they feel is the best man or woman for the job, we don’t like political parties who feel they know what’s best for us. We really tend not to like decisions imposed upon us, for our own good, by condescending people who really mean for their own good.
Have a feeling this will backfire ,people will feel the women candidates are being imposed because the parties have to satisfy the percentage quota
Whether it’s elected representatives are male or female, Fianna Fail will continue to serve the interests of capital over the welfare of the majority working class people who voted for them.
Steve that makes the assumption that those nominated for the ballot paper are automatically the best person for the job rather than nepotism or other political links
fg are pushing the fact that they have more women on their ticket which really only shows that they will use women as a gender and not their individual ability, to garner support.
“not back looking either” – lowery to Kenny 2015 to get a women a job
Crumlin-based Catherine Ardagh, the daughter of former TD Seán Ardagh.. This line just makes a mockery of our political system. Is nepotism better than sexism?
Reading the article one face stares out and reminds me never again vote for this party, Mary Hanifin. . And a leader who stood over corruption and cronyism.
…and continued by the present Gov.
FF will lose out because MM is their leader.
Anyone who sat in the Ahern and Cowan cabinets has no place in Irish politics.
Anyone who sat in the Kenny cabinet has no place in Ireland.
The electorate should not reward treachery, but sadly, probably will.
Eaten bread is soon forgotten.
Nor is the invitation to eat cake.
Could we block all FF members from running.
F.G. and Liebour as well…
Most men always loose out in the hunt for women, one way or another.
Aptitude tests not gender quotas!
Very few of them has a pair, so they should be well over the quota.
These political gender quotas are nonsense, it should be the best person for the job – end of story.
This is turning into a joke
Good old Fianna Fáil. Nepotism alive and well. Catherine ardagh. Change me backside. Once toxic always toxic.
Yea because Christine LaGarde, Condoleezza Rice and Angela Merkel are such successful examples of success of women making a difference.
Mary Hanafin
Sorry I make word better when fully awake, Now coffee drink I.
There isn’t a man in it.
They are fast becoming a party of quota fillers and cronies.
Regardless of feelings towards politicians , I wonder who are the best candidates to contest the election regardless of gender? Who’s represented the area better? And also better stronger support?
Here’s me thinking this was an article about the Ashley Madison data leak!
Are this crowd the best Ireland has got ?
Will the irish public lose out in both FFs and FGs low life, shameless, ravaging, animalistic, primitive, desperate hunt to get into power? Yes, i believe so.
This quota will set women in politics back decades. I’d imagine a lot of people will avoid voting for female candidates now out of fear for them being quota fillers.
Who’d want to vote for those two smiling dipsh!ts or anybody from FIanna Fail for that matter?
Fianna Fáil will loose up to 8 seats because of their inability to meet the gender quota in a natural way. Female candidates r being added as quota fillers n the ff vote is being split.
I’ve also heard that certain ff female councillors are being bribed by the party to run as a “token” candidate with the promise of a Seanad seat for their compliance.
They’re in far bigger trouble on the issue than they will care to admit.
We will more than likely find that some of the old farts will pull out & they will add a few token women in & then hope that they will win the seats back. I will vote for who I think will do the least damage to the area I couldn’t care less who they are, they can be Bart/Homer/Maggie/Marge Simpson just do something for your community & the country. If you are going to do nothing except line your pockets then get out we don’t need any more clowns running this country with only one thing on their mind which is to screw the people out of more money. An honest politician now that would be something to see.
So no point in voting FG/FF/Liebour then. All self serving ‘couldn’t give a rats ass about Ireland’ traitors whose only goal is to lick up to Merkel and Co and get nice big cushy job in Germany.
If FF aren’t able to stop a millionaire ministerial pensioner with direct links to the most disastrous period in their history, a former minister who chose to punish pensioners before any other group in society, whose very voice is so distinctive that it immediately reminds me of the Bertie era.
If FF cant stop that person then they can hardly expect to be given support to get a role in Govt. If they’re immune to toxicity well I’m not.
Our two greatest presidents have been the Marys. There was no gender quota condition put on their election. They were the best and they won. Gender quotas will be detrimental to talented women. They will be overlooked by the perception that they are only making up the numbers.
The notion being floated of a directive to only chose a woman is shocking. Can you imagine the uproar if a selection convention was asked to only chose a man! This is not equality. Would love to hear some of the feminist brigade come out and condemn this!
And also, what self respecting woman would accept the nomination if this is the way she got it?
As a completely apolitical comment, I find the comments about political dynasties amusing. Should we ban people from entering a job, trade or profession simply because their parents did that job too? I’m a truck driver, my father was too. my wife is a nurse, both her parents were nurses. Should dangers sons or daughters be prohibited from taking over the family farm simply because their parents owned it? Politics is no different, at the end of the day is just a job. a very well paid job, granted, but still just a job.
let them lose funding
Actually this is not really about the merits of the candidates seeking the nomination. It is all about money, the funding would be cut if the 30% is not reached. FF might gain a lot more seats if it ignored the 30% issue and selected its candidates strictly on merit. Who knows? They might still reach the 30%. But on a merit basis. The corollary of the present 30% thing is to suggest that a maximum 70% of the candidates should be male.
I reckon the other Parties in some constituencies will select some placebo female nonentities who will have no chance of being elected just to keep the money.
If there was to be real equality in the general election then the 30% thing should be removed. Then the constituencies should be reorganised to each return an even number of TDs. When voting then the electorate would choose two from the male list and two from the female list (eg in a four seater constituency) by single transferable vote. This would result in 83 male TDs and 83 female TDs. The Ceann Comhairle should be selected by the President following consultation with the Council of State after each general election . He/she would not be a TD and not have a casting vote. So there you have it. Perfect equality of opportunity. The only hiccup in this would be how to regulate for a bye-election situation. Possible solution would be instead of a bye-election if a TD died then the TD’s party could replace the TD by nominating a TD of the same gender. Another hiccup would be the Independents
Would a by election of only candidates of one gender not fit your idea better?
Yes to replace like with like (genderwise).
we need more Mary hanafins running the country! what a fine upstanding politician!
It makes me laugh that people assume those that end up on the ballot paper are there because of merit and how qualified they are for the job, rather than nepotism and the “old boys club” This is especially true for Fianna fail .Since when did the Irish have so much faith in our politicians. Don’t worry qoutas won’t change nepotism
I think FF’s problem is going to be more that most people think FF is made up of greed, short-sighted, untrustworthy gobeens no matter what they have between their legs.
Jennifer Cuffe would get my number one!!
farmers, not dangers, bloody autocorrect.. An option to edit your post would be nice..
Everyone will, but the same ould faces won’t…
Couldn’t care less how many women:men that they have, I wouldn’t touch them with a ten mile barge pole. The plastic party they should be called. You need your head examined if you are thinking of letting them have a go again, they haven’t changed one iota.
Daithe got his Council seat because he went knocking on every single door and engage, he took some amount of FFlack on the doorsteps including mine, but he kept going and engaged with all those who challenged him, the Lab candidate ran at the first sign of challenge, never seen a single FG candidate even at election time. Cant see Catherine knocking on those same doors.
Typically a left voting constituency, there is one possible seat for the taking between FG/FF from the Inchicore/Kimmage/Kilmainahm right wing voters that give about 20% vote and they are fairly floater voters. It will be interesting to see how many voters Catherine Byrne (FG) lost after her ‘stacking up their trolleys with drink and wine’ comments that angered many. FF are probably better to stick with Daithe who knock on doors and will get in on transfers.
who cares! The irish troika of FF, FG and Slave Labour are useless it’s time to get rid of them!
“Women-only directives” would be profoundly undemocratic in a society which comprises both women and men. Party candidates should be selected on the basis of who is the best person for the job, not who is the best woman.
If we no longer select candidates on merit, but instead simply on the basis of their sex, it will have the consequential effect of damaging the quality of leadership in our country generally. Short-sighted, superficial and politically-correct moves, such as so-called “women-only directives”, are not without major consequence and are not victimless. If parties persist with such corrosive practices, many more good men will cease to even try to enter politics. Pitting the sexes against each other in the way that the likes of Enda Kenny and his mental doppelganger, Micheal Martin, are doing is immensely destructive.
What FF leader Micheal Martin, and his dumb apparatchiks in FF headquarters, seem to be doing in Dun Laoghaire is very disturbing. They are trying to screw a very promising, popular and locally accomplished young male candidate in the form of Cormac Devlin, in favour of some visionless airhead such as Kate Feeney or an old-time female Fianna Failer in the form of Mary Hanafin. This is why FF HQ has delayed the Dun Laoghaire convention on so many unjustified occasions; they know how popular and strong Cormac Devlin is and they want to find a way to screw him before he can be nominated by the local Dun Laoghaire FF members. If they succeed in screwing Cllr Cormac Devlin, they will lose a promising young man who could have gone on to be a long-serving Fianna Fail TD for Dun Laoghaire.
have your say