Europe | Ireland | Leadership

Record number of women TDs not just down to quotas

A very modest record was broken in the general election, as the greatest-ever number of women TDs were returned to the Dáil. Back in 2011, a total of 25 women were elected, three more than in 2007 and 2002. Although 25 is a relatively paltry figure by international standards, it was then the highest number of women ever elected in Ireland. With 166 TDs in the 31st Dáil, just 15 per cent of deputies were women, although the figure had crept up to 16 per cent following byelections. By yesterday afternoon, the record had been smashed with the election of Sinn Féin’s Dublin Fingal candida

Europe | Ireland | Politics

Arlene Foster becomes first female leader of DUP

Source: theguardian

Arlene Foster has been formally elected as leader of the Democratic Unionist party. The Stormont finance minister was the sole nominee to replace Peter Robinson as head of the largest unionist grouping in Northern Ireland. The 45-year-old is the DUP’s first female leader, and she will become the first woman to lead Northern Ireland when she takes on the role of first minister next month. In a speech to the DUP party faithful at the Park Avenue hotel in east Belfast, she said: “The style of leadership may change, but the fundamental values of this party will not.

Europe | Ireland | Society

Women can be each other’s worst detractors, says Harney

Source: The Irish Times

Some of the “snidest comments” leveled at high profile women usually come from other women, former Tánaiste Mary Harney has told a conference in Kerry. Speaking at the third annual Women in Media conference in Ballybunion on Saturday, Ms Harney said far too often women are commented on for “style over substance”. Highlighting the importance of “women power” Ms Harney said, we have never needed more women in power, but warned how women are often the biggest detractors to other women. “Women are criticized because of their appearance, their dress, their weight. In my own experi

Europe | Ireland | Culture

Mary Robinson is named as Ireland’s most inspirational woman

Source: Independent.ie

Mary Robinson is the person Irish women find most inspirational, a new survey has found. More than a quarter of Irish women believe that former president Mary is the Irish figure they most respect. Mary Robinson served as the first woman President of Ireland from 1990-1997 and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997-2002. She is now the President of the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice and a member of the Elders, a group of world leaders (founded by Nelson Mandela), who contribute their wisdom, independent leadership, and integrity to tackling some of the world’s toug