Fianna Fail's new spokeswoman on political reform Averil Power has accused Pat Rabbitte of being a sexist on a par with troubled sports presenter Andy Gray following the former Labour leader’s controversial remarks about the new women in Fianna Fáil’s revamped frontbench.
She was responding to claims by Mr Rabbitte that it looked as if, when appointing his frontbench, party leader Micheál Martin might just have "wandered down Grafton Street to see if he could meet a couple good-looking women for the photograph".
Ms Power, who is running as a Fianna Fáil's candidate in Dublin North East, said she was shocked by Mr Rabbitte's remarks, describing them as insult to all those working to involve more women in politics.
"The lack of women in Irish politics is a serious issue. It is a real shame that when women are given important jobs on their own merits, they have to deal with sexist comments from Pat Rabbitte. Such comments certainly won't encourage more women to enter politics," she said.
"Pat Rabbitte loves to appear on the media and lecture people about a new politics, but his Andy Gray approach to women shows that all he's about is empty soundbites and smart phrases."
Ms Power was one of four new spokespeople appointed by Mr Martin to his frontbench team who are not TDs. The others are Senator Marc MacSharry from Sligo; two Dublin councillors Mary Fitzpatrick and Jim O'Callaghan, a brother of RTÉ presenter Miriam O'Callaghan. Ms Power is the only unelected member of the 21-person team.
She insisted her party leader was strongly committed to ensuring that the voices of both younger people and women were heard in politics generally and in the Fianna Fáil party especially.
"I have no doubt that Micheal's decision to give me this position reflects my experience and my suitability for the job."
Speaking ealier on RTÉ Radio's Today with Pat Kenny programme, Mr Rabbitte described the new-look frontbench team as a "stunt for photographic purposes", designed to give the impression that there was a new and fresh Fianna Fáil.
He claimed Mr Martin's decision to choose individuals outside the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party was "transparently" designed to raise their profiles for the duration of the election.
Mr Rabbitte insisted the prequisite for serving on the frontbench of a major political party was to be elected to the Dáil.
“Some of these people are not even in the Dáil and some of those who are there, most certainly will not be back in the Dáil [following the election],” Mr Rabbitte said.
He predicted the frontbench team would be the shortest-lived in Irish political history, comparing the roles to the job parts of extras in movies.
On the new women appointed to the team, Mr Rabbitte claimed Fianna Fáil had a poor record in recruiting women candidates and the lastest move was merely down for the "optics".
“You might as well wander down Grafton Street and see if you can meet a couple of good-looking women and say, would you ever mind coming up for the photograph, it’s only for four weeks,” he said.
