The low representation of women in Irish politics is “an absolute disgrace”, Frances FitzGerald has said. 

Speaking ahead of International Women’s Day on 8th March, the Dublin MEP and former Tánaiste said that women TDs and cabinet ministers really do make a difference: 

“We are an absolute disgrace,” Ms FitzGerald told The Anton Savage Show. 

“But we’re not the only ones. There’s quite a few other countries but the best [place] is probably the Nordic countries [such as] Iceland where they’re getting near to 50%. 

“But you know, it’s really not good enough. 

“I’ve been in cabinet with one, two women, four women has been the max - and a female Attorney General - out of 15. 

“So it makes a difference, if you’ve one or two women in a room where you’ve a critical mass of women.”

Of the 160 TDs elected at the 2020 election, only 36 of them were women.

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National Women's Council protest

FitzGerald’s intervention comes on the same day that hundreds rallied outside Leinster House for the 'No Woman Left Behind' protest organised by the National Women's Council: 

“It’s a real day for women and women’s organisations to get their voices heard,” Orla O'Connor, Director of the National Women's Council, told Newstalk. 

“And the issues that they want to talk to Government about are the lack of affordable childcare, the need for a public and secular national maternity hospital, for abortion access for all women where they need it and also for public housing and public accommodation. 

“So women are really at the heart of a lot of the crises that are happening in Ireland at the moment and particularly the childcare crisis.”

A moment of silence was also held for the people of Ukraine.

Main image: Pictured in the Irish Architectural Archive is Frances Fitzgerald TD. Picture by: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie