Women’s groups and politicians have called for more female representation in public life in Ireland today, which is International Women's Day.
The National Women's Council (NWC) launched two reports entitled Áit ag an mbord - Representation of Women in Power and Decision-Making Structures for Local Development in Irelandand Politics Needs More Women: What The Irish Political System must Do.
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Mr Proinsias De Rossa who said today it was now time for women to take their places in positions of authority
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President of the National Women’s Council (NWC) Ms Joanna McMinn said Ireland lags far behind the rest of Europe when it comes to representation in public life for women.
Ireland’s women’s parliamentary representation ranks 59th out of 120 nations.
According to Dr Yvonne Galligan, director at the Centre For Advancement of Women in Politics at Queens University, Ireland is lower than the European average (17 per cent), lower than the average for the Americas (16 per cent), lower than the Asian average (16 per cent) and lower than the average for sub-Saharan Africa (13 per cent).
Chairwoman of the NWC Ms Gráinne Healy said that while women made up half of the world’s population only 12 per cent of Irish politicians were woman.
Women’s representation at the senior level in the Garda and top manager level in industry is only at 3 per cent.
Speaking today at a gathering of women’s groups the Labour TD, Mr Proinsias De Rossa said that it was "incredible to think that only 30 years ago it was illegal for a married woman to work in our public service.
"We have certainly travelled some distance in that time. Having broken through the legal barriers it is now time for women to step forward and take their places in positions of authority and decision-making," said Mr De Rossa.