MARGARET WAUGH:MARGARET WAUGH, who has died aged 90, was in 1970 a founder member of the Women's Progressive Association.
The fundamental aim of the organisation was to promote, encourage and support the participation of women at all levels of public and political life.
The need for such an organisation is reflected in the fact that of 144 members of Dáil Éireann in 1970, just three were women. Between 1922 and 1992 only 53 individual women were elected to the Dáil.
With the exception of Countess Markievicz, who had served as minister for labour in the government elected by the first Dáil in 1919, no woman held a cabinet post until Máire Geoghegan Quinn in 1979.
But it was the Arms Trial that prompted Margaret Waugh to act. "I was disgusted by the shenanigans and corruption. I felt that women would do a jolly sight better."
At first she thought of starting a women's political party, but opted for an organisation that would assist women to become politically involved.
"I went around the neighbourhood on my bicycle calling to people, telling them about setting up a women's organisation, and they might tell me about someone else who would be interested - they would pass me on - and I would call to that person."
The founding meeting of the Women's Progressive (later Political) Association was held at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dún Laoghaire, and committee meetings were initially held in Margaret Waugh's home in Sandycove.
Other founding members included Mavis Arnold, Monica Barnes, Audrey Conlon, Gemma Hussey, Phil Moore and Hilary Pratt. Mary Robinson was the body's first president.
The WPA set about its task with old-fashioned rules, discipline and organisation.
It established a strong media presence, held public meetings and annual seminars and set up a "talent bank" that identified women with the qualifications necessary for membership of public and State bodies.
Members later hosted a weekly programme on the pirate radio station ARD.
Margaret Waugh left the organisation following a row over participation in the Women's Representative Committee, a body established by the minister for labour Michael O'Leary in 1974.
Some WPA members felt that the committee was merely a "sop", prompting others to leave. Margaret Waugh resigned because she "didn't want to be part of anything that had internal politics".
Also in 1974 she was elected as a Fine Gael member of Dún Laoghaire corporation, and was re-elected in 1979. Elected cathaoirleach of the corporation in 1980, she resigned her seat in October 1981.
Actively involved in Dún Laoghaire Arts Week, as a councillor she supported the upgrading of the local school of art. She was an advocate of improved childcare facilities, and argued that more resources should be devoted to the treatment of young offenders.
She was in the 1970s a member of the Church of Ireland General Synod. A founder member and honorary secretary of the Council for the Status of Women, she was also honorary treasurer of the Irish Association of Civil Liberty.
Whereas women continue to be under-represented in the Oireachtas, Margaret Waugh and her WPA colleagues did much to create the conditions whereby women cabinet members are the norm and the head of State since 1990 has been a woman.
Predeceased by her husband Desmond, a general practitioner, she lived in recent years in her native Wales.
Public-spirited to the end, she donated her body to medical science. Her son Peter and daughters Penelope and Elizabeth survive her.
Margaret Waugh (née Greening): born December 25th, 1917; died May 8th, 2008