Sir, – In his letter Noel Huston (December 6th) draws attention to the fact that “four new males were elected to Dáil Éireann” in the recent byelections.
This adds to the existing imbalance in the Dáil in which nearly 80 per cent of TDs are men.
He also asks the question as to who is to blame for this situation.
Women, because they live longer, are a majority in the electorate.
They, therefore, have the power to change the imbalance at the next election.
But they had that opportunity at the last election when, because of the quota, there were more women candidates than there used to be.
In that election, as in all elections since women got the vote, the average female candidate got fewer votes than the average male candidate.
Until that changes the lack of gender equality situation in the Dáil will stay as it is. – Yours, etc,
A LEAVY,
Sutton,
Dublin 13.