Labour, Sinn Féin and Fine Gael are on course to reach a legally required quota of women candidates for the next general election and retain their full funding from the State. Under the Electoral Amendment Political Funding Bill 2011, parties must implement a gender quota for the upcoming election and must select at least 30% women.
Funding from the exchequer will be cut by 50% if they don’t. Former Mayor of Clare, Patricia McCarthy and Director of Operations and Campaigns for the Women for Elections Group, Suzanne Collins outlined their views.
