European elections: Poor showing for Irish women candidates

The Irish Examiner comments on the fact that fewer than one quarter of Irish candidates to the European Parliament are women: "In 2004, Ireland was 63rd on a league table that considered the number of women elected to political office in various countries. ... Last month we fell nearly 30 places to 88th in the latest worldwide poll. Amongst European parliaments, the Dáil has one of the lowest percentages of women members at about 13 percent. The EU average is 24 percent with the highest, Sweden, at 47 percent. In Ireland ... we elect fewer women than Bolivia, Sudan, Cambodia or Kazakhstan. Irish women are amongst least successful - or the most effectively excluded - Europeans at getting elected to political office or even being nominated to stand for office. If encouraging more women to participate would change this country for the better, we would be fools not to do so. Any barriers that prevent anyone, no matter their gender, from making a positive contribution must be removed."

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