Clare's First Female TD Condemns "Extraordinary Slowness" Of Gender Balance In Politics

Clare FM

Clare's first female TD has condemned what she's called the "extraordinary slowness" of achieving fair gender representation in Irish politics. The upcoming General Election will be the first in which all parties are required to field 40% female candidates to receive full State funding. Eight women have declared for the General Election in Clare so far which is the highest number ever in the county and makes it the first time more women than men have run here. Kilkee native Madeleine Taylor-Quin, who became Clare's first female TD when elected for Fine Gael in 1981, says given the lack of progress on gender balance in the Dáil, she fully supports gender quotas.