There should be a 10 per cent diversity quota on candidates put forward for election by political parties, an Oireachtas conference has heard.
Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway, who is visually impaired, said the political system should introduce a “diversity quota”, where 10 per cent of candidates would have to come from a diverse background or parties would see their funding cut.
“Quotas do work, they’ve worked in terms of increasing female representation and they will work in terms of diversity representation,” he said.
At present political parties must have at least 30 per cent of candidates from both genders in general elections, or have their State funding cut in half. The gender quota thresholds are due to rise to 40 per cent of candidates from next year onwards.
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The Senator was speaking at a conference on improving participation in politics at Dublin Castle, organised by Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl.
The Oireachtas should also look at setting up a fund to assist members with disabilities, Mr Conway said. For the visually impaired he said this could include funding to hire a driver or having library and research materials available in audio format.
Peter Finnegan, clerk of the Dáil, said while the make-up of the Oireachtas had changed in recent years, it still had not kept pace with demographic changes in wider society. “We’ve a lot of catching up to do, which I think we all agree on,” he told the conference.
Furkan Karayel, an author and speaker on diversity and inclusion who immigrated to Ireland from Turkey, said work to improve diversity was “not an attack” on current politicians. The Oireachtas should consider some form of programme where immigrants were shown what it would be like to work as a TD for a day, “so they can maybe consider politics for a career,” she said.
Senator Eileen Flynn, a Traveller activist, said often when people from under-represented backgrounds ran for election they were pigeonholed as “the Traveller” or “the Muslim” candidate.
“Sometimes I can go home, I can cry, I can feel the racism in the room. We all know racism exists in Leinster House, both Houses of course, you’d be an eejit if you were blindsided by it,” she said.
Ms Flynn said it was important to have marginalised people “showing up in spaces we’re not welcome” to create change. “A racist in my opinion is a weak person, and when you’re there they won’t be racist to your face,” she said.
Noah Halpin, healthcare officer with Transgender Equality Network of Ireland (Teni), said young trans people felt they were not being listened to by the political system. “In my work I give a lot of talks… No major political party has ever asked me to come in and talk about the needs of trans people,” he said.
On a key issue such as healthcare for young trans people, Mr Halpin said the system in Ireland has got “worse to the point where it is non-existent”.
Alison Cowzer, chair of the Women for Election group, said the Dáil was still “miles away” from reflecting and representing wider Irish society. “Childcare is not a women’s issue, economics is not a man’s issue. Taking these issues out of the gender space would be really helpful,” she said.
