Ms Maria Joyce:

We are focusing on nested quotas in the context of trying to ensure a positive outcome. That separation of gender equality from diversity has not delivered for Traveller women. Therefore, we feel there is a strong need to go that step further and look specifically at nested quotas in the context of gender. I will come back to the wider ethnic under-representation in a moment. Looking specifically at nested quotas means the political parties and the State have to look at a more comprehensive approach as to what kinds of specific and targeted measures need to be put in place to try to address this. We have created a kind of loose alliance with Women for Election and the National Women's Council of Ireland with regard to looking specifically at what nested quotas would look like in the context of gender quotas and advancing that work over the coming months into early 2023.

We might look at some European examples of where they looked at ethnic quotas in the context of ethnic minorities, which have not always delivered for women. I am not saying measures are not needed in the context of Irish political life to ensure greater representation of all under-represented groups. That includes Travellers as a whole, not just Traveller women. In saying that, however, serious work needs to be done in the context of Irish politics. When we look at a male-dominated profession such as politics, we must ask who are the males who are dominating that. The majority are more privileged and are predominantly white. There is very little ethnic visibility across any of that. Measures need to be put in place to start looking at that.

The Different Paths, Shared Experiences: Ethnic Minority Women and Local Politics in Ireland report contains research we did with Dr. Pauline Cullen that looked at ethnic quotas in the context of some other European countries. Those quotas did not deliver as such for Roma women; it was more for Roma men. I am not saying you could look at something like that in the context of Traveller men but I am saying that in terms of trying to ensure the prioritisation of Traveller women in the context of political life on some of those bases, when there is such a focus in the context of trying to create parity with regard to women and men, that point around what women we mean is really important.

There is some pushback against me in a couple of the political spaces in the context of getting women who are electable. That is unacceptable. If men were saying that about women in wider politics, elected women would be fairly quick to jump and ask who is electable. I do not want to confuse that with winnable seats. If one goes for the easiest route, however, one will never bring those furthest from reach into the centre.