GENERAL ELECTION: Independent Alliance candidate for Donegal, Councillor Niamh Kennedy has been facing many questions regarding the gender quota – and whether or not to vote for a female candidate on the basis of gender.
She believes it is not the kind of decision that is easily made. What for example does the candidate stand for?
Will she add to the political debate in a meaningful way?
How different would she be from a man with the same political ideology?
Like men, no two women are the same. By voting for a woman you don’t get a guarantee that her perceptions of her role in public service will be representative of women in general.
In fact, women who are playing the game by the boys’ rules will adapt and play hard to win by those same rules.
It is only when there is some gender balance in the room that the authentic voices of women are heard.
With the presence of enough women together, even in opposition, the debate is coloured by a female perspective.
The debate is influenced by women in several ways. It is not just the outcome of a debate, but the choice of the debate and how the terms of reference are framed.
With enough women in the room, priorities change, perhaps in subtle ways, but which make a difference.
Most would agree that the general view if it is predominately male will be moderated by gender balance.
There has been a shift in Irish politics over the last few years from the centrist parties to the left.
If there were more women to influence policy to reflect the concerns of the broader society, would the momentum to the left be stalled or possibly reversed?
It is something to watch for if the numbers of women going to the Dáil are noticeably increased.
The current election has introduced quotas on gender balance for the parties.
There is some criticism of this measure which has upset the selection process for some male candidates.
Whatever the feelings about the quotas, there never has been more female candidates presented for election.
Councillor Niamh Kennedy and the Independent Alliance believe it will be interesting to see how Mná na hEireann vote this coming Friday.
Tags: