A chara, – I was chief commissioner of the Irish Girl Guides during the time of the merger of the scouting organisations and so was particularly disappointed to read the letter by Diarmuid Ó Briain (June 2nd) in which he said we “discriminate on the basis of gender and are State-funded despite the option to merge with the two scouting movements at the foundation of Scouting Ireland a number of years ago”.
I would like to assure your readers that we were never invited to be part of the merger. Guiding and scouting do share many common principles but there is even more that distinguishes them. It would be akin to me saying that The Irish Times and the Irish Independent are both newspapers and so should merge.
The Irish Girl Guides is a uniquely girls-only, youth-driven, active and dynamic organisation. It offers a varied and exciting programme for girls and young women aged 5-26, and opportunities for leaders of all ages. I am also active in the Women for Election group, which is working to inspire and equip women to succeed in politics. I feel my work in the Irish Girl Guides is to prepare girls to be leaders in whatever their future holds for them.
The membership of the Irish Girl Guides has increased by over 1,000 in the last two years. Indeed, in my current role as a local commissioner for the Dundrum/Kilternan area, our greatest difficulty is to find enough leaders to accommodate all the girls who wish to participate.
My appeal to your female readers is to take up the challenge and become part of an exciting and inspiring organisation. – Is mise,