Fine Gael is “running more female candidates than we ever have before”, one of the party’s candidates has said, pledging to create “a mentorship programme” for “female and minority election candidates.”
Cllr. Emma Blain, who is running in the general election in Dublin Bay South, said that “a record number of female candidates” are running in the election, and that “hopefully we are closer to a more gender balanced Dáil.”
“Fine Gael are committed to further increasing female participation in politics, and breaking down barriers that hold women back from entering politics,” she said.
“We will increase maternity leave for all elected representatives and create a mentorship programme for prospective female and minority election candidates.”
She added: “As the saying goes, if you can’t see it, you can’t be it.”
Blain went on to say that she is “delighted” that there are more female candidates than ever running in the upcoming General Election
“My party, Fine Gael, are also running more female candidates than we have ever before, and I am proud to be one of the 33,” she said.
“To promote female participation in politics, Fine Gael introduced gender quotas for General Elections in 2012, meaning that to retain the entirety of their State funding, political parties must now ensure at least 40% of their candidates are female.
“This has led to a clear increase in female candidates, and I am hopeful that this will lead to the most gender balanced Dáil in our history, across all parties.
“Having strong, experienced female voices, from all corners of Ireland, from all backgrounds, involved in politics, has never been so important, not only for our country and for political system, but for the young girls of Ireland who have more female role models in politics to look up to.”
She added: “Fine Gael are determined to improve outcomes for women in every aspect of life.”
The remarks come after this year, Fine Gael Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe previously defended the government’s use of taxpayer money to increase the number of election candidates from “diverse” backgrounds, describing it as money “well spent.”
Recently Fine Gael’s Minister of State for Local Government, Alan Dillon, announced €171,162 in funding for See Her Elected (SHE), a Longford-based initiative focused on “supporting and encouraging” women from rural Ireland to engage in local politics. The government fully funds the programme, which aims to provide women with political skills and knowledge through “capacity building, training,” and other resources to boost the number of women in local councils.
This announcement follows a €230,372 funding package unveiled last December to support “an increased number of women candidates and people of diversity” in Local Elections, including LGBT individuals and ethnic minorities.
When asked whether it was appropriate to allocate taxpayer money to such initiatives and if this amounted to “manipulating” the makeup of politics, Minister Donohoe defended the approach.
“I wouldn’t describe trying to make sure that we have candidates that reflect the diversity of our society as manipulation,” he said.
“What we are trying to ensure is that, in a difficult political environment, we can give support to more and more women not only standing for public office but becoming elected. I have to say, I think it is an essential ingredient in how we can have public life that reflects our country.”
Donohoe stated that “we’re not doing well enough at the moment” in terms of diversity, adding: “Any support that can change that, for me, is not just welcome – it’s essential.”
“In relation to ensuring we have politics that reflect the diversity of our society, all the different cultural traditions and all the different groups that live in Ireland and make Ireland their home – for me, in order for politics to provide leadership and representation to people, it needs to reflect our people in the first place,” he continued, adding: “Any euro spent in doing that, for me, is a euro well spent.”