Jurriën timber The Government has been strongly criticised after its announcement of junior ministers left just nine women as officeholders from a record 38.
Just four of the 19 announced by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris on Wednesday — Niamh Smyth, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, Emer Higgins, and Marian Harkin — are women, added to the five women announced among the 19 ministers who will sit at Cabinet last week.
There had been widespread criticism of the full Cabinet announcement last week, which saw the number of female senior ministers drop from four to three. This imbalance was something which Mr Martin said on Tuesday would be addressed, though he added that his appointments would also include Oireachtas committee chairs and senators.
The National Women’s Council said that the announcement was “disappointing” and that it was “a failed opportunity to address the gender gap in our Government following the decrease of the number of women in the Cabinet”, while Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins said in percentage terms, female representation had dropped.
“Today, six women out of a total of 23 ministers of State were appointed. However, the previous government comprised six women out of a complement of 20 ministers of State.”
“Instead of making progress on increased gender balance, the government is again going backwards. Ireland has the worst gender balance of parliaments in western Europe, with women making up only 25% of TDs.
“Instead of being laggards in this area, we should be leaders. Ireland would benefit hugely from having, not just more women in politics, but more women in senior and leadership positions in government.”
Sinn Féin’s Louise O’Reilly accused the government of “doubling down on a boys’ club”. She claimed that Fianna Fáil under Micheál Martin “in particular appears to have a problem promoting women”.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin TD Pa Daly claimed he was taking legal action against the State because the “increasing number of people” of junior ministers attending Cabinet “may be contrary to certain articles of the constitution”.
“Obviously, over the last 15, 20 years, there has been an increasing number of super junior ministers appointed, and if you listened to the comments which were made by former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar over the weekend, these super junior ministers have full access to cabinet papers, and to memos, and are treated as equal, equally, at Government talks.”
Asked about the prospect of the attorney general being excluded from Cabinet in the event of his success in the judicial review proceedings, Mr Daly said: “My own view on that is that the attorney general would not fall under this category, and an attorney general is necessary to advise on the legality of any legislation, or any ideas that the Govt want to put forward.
Meanwhile, it was confirmed that Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness will become the Leas Ceann Comhairle until the rotation of the Taoiseach’s office in November 2027, when Frank Feighan will take up the role.
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