Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

-----we need to consider the suggestion that Parliament sit two and a half days each week. In addition, on occasion, women should be able to participate in debates using video-conferencing facilities. We should not always have to be here in the House in order to participate, as there are means of doing this. There should occasionally be opportunities to vote remotely, with appropriate validation. While visiting Mountjoy Prison doing research for the Oireachtas education report which is being published next Tuesday, I missed a number of divisions in the House. I was obliged to apply months beforehand for clearance to enter the prison. There are plenty of examples of such difficulties. Cash is an issue, as is confidence because, as I said, we are largely in a male world, but the greatest issue is culture.

In terms of achieving a better gender balance in politics, I am not convinced quotas are the solution. The one area in which quotas will make a difference to women is the selection process. However, it is tough enough being a woman in politics without accusations being made that one is a quota candidate. The solution might be to use a combination of figures for quota purposes; for example, women could receive a 20% leg-up at the convention, but the rest would be based on an open vote. I would say the same about list-based electoral systems. It should not be all list-based and it should not be all democracy-based; we should consider a combination of the two.

The Leader of the House is a male, as are the Cathaoirleach and the Leas-Chathaoirleach. The Leader has been corrected in the House on his use of language, for example, by Senator Eugene Regan. How one speaks to women is important. On many occasions, like others, I have felt put down by the Leader. Within the last two weeks he mentioned that he had seen me on "Tonight with Vincent Browne" and that I was "very meek". Would he have said that to a man? He would never have used the word "meek".