Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There are 15 Cabinet members and there are 19 Ministers of State, only a small proportion of whom are women. The former Tánaiste, the Taoiseach's colleague, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, recently called for 50% of future Governments to comprise women, whether at Cabinet or Minister of State level.

I have given that viewpoint as well. When I was Tánaiste, it was 50:50 or 45:55 with Labour Party women and men in terms of our appointment mix, including the Attorney General. That is the highest level of equality that has ever been achieved by a party represented in Government.

As a newish leader, does the Taoiseach have a commitment to an equality Government that will, as far as possible, be made up of equal numbers of women and men from whatever party or parties command the Government?

See this speech in context