Jillian van Turnhout (Independent)

Today is international women's day. On 2 February, this House started a journey with the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011. Will the Leader ask the Minister to consider the Independent group's amendments on political donations and gender quotas? I encourage the House to play a strong role next week in giving the amendments full consideration.

At noon in the Mansion House, Women for Election will be launching its programmes, which I am delighted have the support of all political parties, to inspire and equip women to run. In the Abbey Theatre this morning, Ms Nora Owen noted that, before she was asked to run in a local election in 1979, she did not even know that the election was taking place. Imagine if someone of her esteem had not become involved in politics. The idea is to ask and encourage women to run for election.