Senator Bacik Welcomes Seanad Debate on Women's Representation in Politics

STATEMENT BY SENATOR IVANA BACIK

Labour Spokesperson for Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Thursday 22nd April 2010

BACIK WELCOMES SEANAD DEBATE ON WOMEN'S REPRESENTATION IN POLITICS

Senator Ivana Bacik warmly welcomed the announcement that a debate on women's participation in politics will take place next Tuesday 27th April in the Seanad, saying:

“I am delighted that the debate on women's participation in politics will be held next Tuesday. I have been calling for this debate for many months now. It will be an historic occasion. Never before, since the foundation of the State, has a formal debate on women in politics taken place in either House of the Oireachtas.”

Senator Bacik also said:

“I hope that some concrete action will be taken as a result of the debate to address our appallingly low rates of women's representation in parliament. Women make up only 16% of our Councillors, only 21% of Senators and only 13% of our TDs – we rank at 84th place in the world tables of women's political representation, way below the European average. What is more, our rates of representation have got worse in recent years. Urgent action through legislation is required to address this.”

In November 2009, Senator Bacik launched the Report of the Sub-Committee on Women's Participation in Politics established by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights.

This Report received cross-Party support from all those on the Justice Committee.

A key recommendation in the Report was the need for legislation to require political parties to select a minimum proportion of women candidates to put before the electorate at local, national and European elections.

ENDS