Madam, - I read with interest, but no surprise, the article by Anne Dempsey (November 27th). It is no wonder that few advances have taken place in our political system when you consider the mindset of some of our elected representatives. In Mr Jackie Healy-Rae's opinion women are "not interested in politics" and even if they were, according to Mr Healy-Rae, they are too "busy with home duties" to be able to give the necessary time to politics, given that as it stands, it is hard enough for men to deal with a "real job" and council business.
Mr Healy-Rae has got it very wrong.
First of all, women are interested in politics. A disdain by many women for our political system with all its flaws does not equate to a lack of interest in politics. The political system still remains a male-dominated closed shop for many women and these kinds of comments do not help in removing the barriers.
Secondly, the notion that "home duties" are specifically associated with women evokes memories of the era when "a woman's place \ in the home" - an era, we had hoped, relegated to the past, but obviously not in his case.
Thirdly, the idea that a person has a "proper job"' as well as a seat on the council is one that I am sick and tired of.
It is about time we had "proper" local government in this Republic - a system that is not a sideline for those involved, a system that is not about attending every funeral in the area, a system that would encourage men and women who are really interested in decision- making to get "properly" involved. A "proper" thing to do to help achieve this would be to get rid of the dual mandate.
I welcome Willie O'Dea's promise to introduce legislation to ensure 40 per cent gender balance on State boards, but I would ask him not to stop there and to review the way our political system is structured and see what could be improved in order to facilitate women's, and indeed citizens' participation in politics.
However, it is not just the mindsets of current politicians that are holding us back. The sooner politics stops being about attending every funeral you can possibly attend, the sooner more women, and indeed more talented and able men, will be involved in our political system. It also up to us as voters to stop expecting or demanding this "service" and to encourage the growth of a system that is about genuine, transparent, inclusive decision-making, accessible to all. - Yours, etc.,
Dr LINDA DOYLE, National Chair, Labour Women, Ely Place, Dublin 2.