Mrs. Louise Weir:

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for coming back to this issue. It is a critical concern for us in trying to promote women's participation in agriculture. There are two parts to what he described. Even if quotas are implemented, there is an issue in that women may not come forward. That is a social construct we need to address. It is something that already really impacts women coming forward in agriculture. It is about identity. There is a question around what identity a female farmer has socially. There is also a cultural issue across all of Europe in terms of women stepping forward into politics.

Do I think the change should start from the top? Yes, I do. It should come from Europe and go all the way down to the bottom. However, to go to the top, we should start at the bottom. The Leas-Chathaoirleach is right that there should be quotas at a local level. There are different ways of doing that. In Longford, for example, there was a See Her Elected campaign. It needs to start at local level. If you see it, you believe it and you can become it. In our project for Female-Led Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas, FLIARA, we picked 20 female ambassadors from 200 interviews. These women are championing agriculture in rural areas, regardless of whether they are politicians, as I described earlier, organic farmers or starting a social enterprise. They are women leading within their communities. They are becoming community champions. It breaks the iceberg the Leas-Chathaoirleach exactly described.

It is interesting that he mentioned his daughters. We interviewed the Hastings sisters, who are farmer influencers. That world is for people younger than I am but it is important.