LW at the How to Elect More Women Conference
20 January 2012
Labour Women attended the How to Elect More Women Conference in Dublin Castle. The Conference was hosted by Minister Kathleen Lynch TD who has shown leadership and energy in the issue of improving women's political participation. The Conference centred around the new legislation which aims to increase the number of women candidates political parties run in elections.
The Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 provides that political parties will face a cut of half their State funding if they do not have at least 30% women and 30% men candidates at the next general election. Seven years from the general election where this provision first applies, this will rise to 40% commencing at the general election held next after that.
The Conference heard from experts, women politicians, General Secretaries of the political parties and the Party Leaders. All parties pledged their commitemnt to the legislation. Furthermore, all political parties welcomed the Bill.
Labour Women first raised the idea of a Bill such as this in 2005 internally in the Labour Party. The Bill which was drafted was honed and discussed. It gained some support, and in 2009 Ciaran Lynch TD took the decision to publish Labour's Electoral (Gender Parity) Bill 2009. Eamon Gilmore TD, Joan Burton TD and Liz McManus TD were all present at the launch.
Meanwhile, the civic society started to organise as groups such as the 50 : 50 group and Women For Election made an impact. The issue gained momentum, reaching a tipping point after which the legisation as first proposed by Labour became unstoppable. While not universally supported, more and more people see that there is no other way to address the issue of women's under-representation in political decision-making. The measure was included in the Programme for Government, and will be debated in the Seanad and the Dail this year.
