Election 2011: Ask Your Candidates

In the run up to the general election on 25th February, the NWCI called on all voters to ask their local candidates a series of questions about where they stood in relation to women's equality. You can read about it below.

Campaign

The National Women's Council of Ireland urges our members and supporters to vote for candidates who will actively work towards bringing about equality for women.leaders

We note that the major political parties are paying little or no attention to the needs of women in their election promises. Despite having claimed that they support making the Dáil more representative, they have put forward so few women that the new Dáil will probably keep up the old tradition of being 86% or so male.

It would be impossible to ask them all the questions which would reveal the extent of their awareness of women's inequality in this country, and their commitment to changing that, but we suggest that you ask them the following, whether on the doorstep when they canvas, or in other, more public forums in the run up to the election.

  1. Would you support positive measures & legislation to improve gender balance in Dáil Éireann?
    Only 13.8% of TDs in Ireland are women. We are ranked 23rd out of 27 countries in the EU, and 84th in the world rankings of women in parliament. At local level, only 16% of councillors are women. Just 15% of candidates in the forthcoming election are women.

  2. Will you work to increase the supports for parents to pay for childcare?
    Childcare costs represent 45% of the average wage in Ireland, compared to 16% in EU and OECD countries. State subsidies for childcare are among the lowest in the EU. We have no paid paternity leave.

  3. Will you support (and ensure that your party supports) legislation which aims to end violence against women and support victims?
    It is internationally recognised that violence against women is extremely prevalent in Ireland - 1 in 5 adult women experience domestic violence and/or sexual assault.

Click here to read more about women's place in the general election on 25th February.