The deadline for the nomination of general election candidates has passed, with a record number of women among the more than 600 candidates estimated to be on the ballot paper across the State’s 43 constituencies.
The next deadline, for the withdrawal of candidates, is this Monday. Returning officers were posting updated candidates lists on Saturday as the campaign entered its ninth day. This is the first election where political parties must reach a 40 per cent gender quota, or risk losing half their State funding.
The Women for Election campaign group said 248 women are running in the election, the largest ever number and an increase of 53 per cent on the total that went forward in 2020. In the outgoing Dáil, there were just 37 women TDs out of 160 (23 per cent).
“With Ireland 104th in the world for the number of women in parliament, it is really good news for the health of our democracy that so many women are stepping forward to stand for election, seeking to represent their communities, and to bring their voices and experiences to the Dáil”, said Brian Sheehan, chief executive of Women for Election.
“Voters in Ireland now have a huge opportunity to fundamentally change the political landscape and make politics work better for everyone by electing more women to the Dáil. Politics works best when there is a balance of men and women involved in decision making.”
While some estimates put the newly formed Independent Ireland party at 39 per cent, co-founder and Cork South West TD Michael Collins said that updated lists would show that around 42 per cent of their candidates are women.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael will on Sunday publish its election manifesto in Co Tippeary while Labour will do likewise in Dublin. The leaders of Fine Gael, Simon Harris, and Fianna Fáil, Micheál Martin, were in Kerry on Saturday, where they met by chance on the campaign trail in Killorglin, while Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was in Roscommon to launch her party’s €10 a day childcare pledge.
In Kerry, Taoiseach Simon Harris defended Fine Gael’s spending proposals and pointed to how the outgoing Government has built up huge reserve funds as indicative of the party’s responsible approaching to managing the Irish economy.
Mr Harris said he welcomed cautionary words from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and several economists about the need for prudent fiscal management particularly in light of the possible trade implications for Ireland and Europe in the wake of Donald Trump’s election as US president.
“I think it’s really important that that sort of commentary [advising prudent fiscal management] is injected into our debate,” said Mr Harris as he defended Fine Gael’s record and stressed that Fine Gael were not in ‘because I have it, I’ll spend it’ camp’”
“What I would also say is this respectfully to everybody who will scrutinise people’s proposals in the days ahead, my party is continuing to propose a scenario where we will set aside billions each year. We’re actually showing people we can make improvements in their lives, and that’s important too.”
Mr Harris said although Fine Gael was acutely conscious of the need for prudent fiscal management, the party also recognises that being in government was not just about managing an economy but also about looking after a society and he was conscious of the challenges people face.
“People tell me they struggle to make ends meet. We do have to take big decisions that cost money to invest in the future wellbeing of our country, including the cost base for small business and caring for people in Ireland who may be vulnerable or in need, so there are things we have to do.
“But I want to assure people that actually the proposals being put forward by my party in the round will actually be seen as modest and responsible, because we will be continuing to set aside money each year, billions of euro each year, to protect our country from any future shocks
“My party has often been excoriated by some political opponents for setting aside money. ‘Why are you setting it aside, why don’t you spend it on now’, they say. I think that line of attack seems even thinner today than it was when it was last levelled, because we do live in a pretty uncertain world.”
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