Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

I welcome the debate on this issue which has been the subject of many discussions during the years. I do not pretend to be an expert on it, but there is a benefit to society to be gained from greater representation by women in Parliament. It is difficult to achieve, however, because it is a difficult job and it is difficult to find the time and space to do it with other things. That applies to men and women; it is not as simple as it looks. There are many who presume public representation is simple and easy, but it is not. I am reminded of the general election of 2002 when as a party we had a high number of women candidates, but we suffered losses. In elections in which we had a high number of female representatives we did badly electorally. It was sad to see, but that was the way it was.

I am not 100% certain the quota system is the answer. I have visited countries which have quota systems in place that seem to work well and I have seen delegations from countries, 80% of the members of which have been female. However, it did not continue. There is no way to presume the introduction of quotas will achieve the desired result.

It is important to have another opinion beyond that of the male population in Parliament. That has been proved over a number of years. The female population thinks differently, which is good. There are those who say with a degree of credibility that if the average woman running a household was running the country in the last ten or 15 years, we would not be where we are. Many of my female constituents have told me repeatedly that they knew the economic model would not work because if they used it at home, they would be broke. Realism is the reality. Having to deal with the issues of a household on a daily basis gives the female population of the country a greater sense of responsibility when it comes to taking risks. This is something we must all recognise. My dealings with constituents give me a sense that if there is an inner track or Midas touch, anything will work and all that a person need do is throw the dice and things will always turn out right, but it does not work that way. It is in that regard that women are more cautious and bringing that sense of caution to the Oireachtas would be of major importance and prove to be constructive. The same applies to local authorities. It goes without saying there is a need for a reasonable balance. I am not certain that the quota system will work because it can be counterproductive, too. Suffice it to say that, at least, the issue has been recognised and something has been done about it.

We should not let the occasion pass without paying tribute to the countless women who were elected to the Oireachtas and the contribution they made and continue to make. That should not be forgotten, especially at a time where elements of the political system are being criticised, rightly so. We should recognise the many women who made a positive contribution in the House on behalf of women, families and the wider economy. They deserve to be complimented.

This issue is not the preserve of the Oireachtas. To an extent, it applies to State bodies and Departments. In some areas, however, it is more difficult to see in which direction the project is moving. If we presume the Oireachtas must aspire to achieve a particular objective, we should also assume something similar should apply to all State boards, bodies and agencies and in the private sector also. There have been occasions in both the public and private sectors when for some unknown reason, notwithstanding the ready availability of the relevant and competent cohort of women, they did not get the nod to which they were entitled with their male counterparts.

The presumption is that everyone comes into the world equal and with nothing. When we leave it, there is no need to bring the cheque book. It should be recognised that there is a need for equality in the public and private sectors. I will not touch on the banking sector, as it would be insensitive of me to deal with it after some of the problems we have encountered in recent years. Suffice it to say, if more women had been involved in it, we might have had a different outcome. The economy might not have collapsed to the same extent because women have a habit of applying the practicalities to all economic issues. As society evolves, we will have more reason to benefit from this. I hope the proposal works, but I am not certain it will. The need is obvious but how to achieve the objective with a reasonable degree of fairness and success remains to be seen. We must acknowledge, however, the huge contribution made by the women elected to this House, including those most recently elected.

In serving the public, the vision and the mission might often not be the same, but the commitment is. Those who see the option of public life as a simple and easy one should be reminded that there are no longer such options. They do not happen anymore, and people who pretend they do or should will be sadly disillusioned. It is hugely important that those who have served for a number of years and have seen the contribution it is possible to make should be able to help those who were more recently elected and who might find themselves disillusioned that all is not what it seemed. All that glisters is not gold, so it is not a bed of roses. Nevertheless, it is something in which we wish both male and female colleagues the very best of luck in the future.

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