Mary Butler says she is disappointed more women did not run for election in Waterford
Pictured at the count centre at SETU's Cork Road Campus in Waterford city. Fianna Fail Mary Butler TD who was re-elected on Sunday 1st December Photograph: Patrick Browne
Newly re-elected Minister for State Mary Butler has said she is “disappointed” with the number of women who ran in the General Election.
Deputy Butler was the only woman to be elected in Waterford with just three women running.
Labour’s Sadhbh O’Neill and Social Democrat’s Mary Roche also ran.
“Firstly I would like to say it was disappointing that only three women out of the 15 candidates contested. You know we have gender quotas for a reason to see more people running but when you have lots of independent candidates they obviously don’t have to put themselves forward,” said Deputy Butler.
According to Breakingnews.ie last week a record number of female candidates ran in this year’s General Election.
Just over a third of candidates running were women.
Forty percent of candidates a party chooses nationally must be female or they could lose half their state funding.
In Waterford, just 20% were women across all parties.
“From the gender perspective, for women to make up 51% of the population, we need to be heard as well, loud and clear, I’m sure you will agree with me.
“You know I have been the fourth woman ever to be elected in Waterford in the history of the state. Ciara Conway was elected in 2011 and I was elected in 2016 and I was delighted to be re-elected on two occasions but I do believe for some people especially women it can be harder to make the bridge,” said Deputy Butler.
