Sir, - I refer to your report from Kuwait (May 18th) which stated that the women of that Gulf state have been granted the right to vote by the Emir.
Ireland is literally 100 years ahead of the Arab state in this respect in that 1999 marks the centenary of the granting of voting rights to women when they were allowed vote for the first county councils.
A century later, Irish women occupy only about 10 per cent of the 883 seats on county and city councils.
One wonders if this proportion will increase by the time nominations for the 1999 local elections close today. - Yours, etc.,
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Liam Kenny, Director General, Council of County Councils, Harold's Cross Road, Dublin 6.