Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to wish a very happy International Women’s Day to all of the women who I know, who I encounter, who are with me and who support me in the work that I do and support all of my colleagues.

I want to use the time I have on what is a very important issue, and I think it is an appropriate time to say this. The gender quota that was brought in was supposed to help women. I had a personal thing that I thought it was an awful insult to women. I really believe that, and everyone is entitled to their own belief. I thought it was an insulting and degrading thing to do to bring in a gender quota, and I will tell the House why. It was thought that if political parties are forced to pay a fine, they will be financially inconvenienced if they do not put up enough women. The women I have seen in politics were absolutely excellent, every one of them, whether in government, in opposition or as Independents, and I would have nothing but admiration for them. When I go back to my time in the local authority, there were women on that local authority and they were role models to me in their work ethic, in their organisational ability and in their sincerity and commitment to politics.

I will use my final seconds to ask this. Why is it that more women are not going into politics? I think I know the answer. Perhaps they were too sensible and they were too intelligent, and they were able to look at it and realise they were not going to go at it. I do not mean that in an insulting way. I did not agree with the gender quota when it came in.

See this speech in context