Sir, – John Kennedy (March 24th) suggests any formal grouping of Independent TDs in the next Dáil should have the same requirements imposed on them as official parties, using gender quotas of candidates at election as his example.
Calculations on the back of an envelope offer the following: Fianna Fáil – 0 per cent female deputies; Sinn Féin – 14 per cent; Fine Gael – 16 per cent; Labour – 21 per cent . If we group all other TDs under a very broad umbrella as Independents (recognising Socialist Workers Party, People Before Profit, and other smaller parties as part of this “group”), we see the highest representation of female TDs at 24 per cent.
These figures reinforce the perspective of many that the very structures of the large established political parties are the biggest impediment to female political participation. – Yours, etc,
S COSTELLO,
Knocknacarra,
Galway.