I'm on my way home from Brussels having spent the last 24 hours in the charming company of 19 other female political candidates standing for Ireland's local and European elections this May. The trip was organised by Women for Election whose aim is to inspire and equip women in Ireland to succeed in politics. The objective of the trip was to give us more insight into the inner workings of the European Commission and to allow us to meet some of the leading ladies of the Directorates-General (DG) in addition to getting a chance to meet fellow candidates in a run up to LE14.

I had some initial apprehension in attending a women-only event. After all, shouldn't voters simply elect the best person for the job irrespective of gender? In my ideal political system, our politicians would be as diverse and representative of our society, including equal numbers of men and women holding a wide range of skills and life experiences to enable good decision-making. However, the reality in Ireland is a far cry from my ideal. Since the foundation of the State in 1918, just 91 women have been elected in the Republic of Ireland; our Dáil has never been less than 85% male*. At local level, women make up just 16% of elected representatives. In the upcoming local elections, women currently account for 24% of the 1192 candidates nationwide.*

It's clear that there's a need to support women to become an equal part of our political system. After meeting some of my fellow female candidates, I'm even more convinced that this is a worthy priority. People like:

Grace O'Sullivan, MEP candidate for Ireland South, Green Party
Grace is a single mother of three children with a long and impressive career as an environmental activist for Green Peace, including time spent as crew of the Rainbow Warrior.

Cllr. Deirdre Forde, Cork County Council, Fine Gael
Deirdre has been a County Councillor for 15 years. In the last election, she made a brave move from Fianna Fail to Fine Gael based on strong principals. She is one of only 6 women serving on Cork County's 48 member council and a pioneer among women standing in local election.

Jennifer Whitmore, Candidate for Wicklow County Council LE14, Independent
Jennifer has been volunteering full-time as a policy advisor for Independent TD Stephen Donnelly, while raising three young children.

We're so fortunate (thanks to the EU) that women in Ireland no longer have to quit their jobs when they have children, but we have a long way to go in creating a political system in which our diverse society is fully represented. As voters, we are the only ones with the power to make that happen.

One of my own personal reasons for stepping in to the world of politics was out of an obligation to my daughter and her generation of women and men because I was concerned about the community and environment we're leaving to them and because of a desire to lead by example and demonstrate that it is possible to make a difference at the local level. Thanks to Women For Election, I learned that there are a significant number of women candidates attracted to politics for similar reasons, and I look forward to seeing many of us elected to local and European government on May 23rd!

- Cara

Chris Hayes
Chris is a recent graduate from the Sustainable Energies & Green Technologies master’s programme at University College Dublin (UCD). This education, combined with his Landscape Architecture undergrad, has fostered a personal interest in the implementation of sustainable projects and conservation of the environment. Having spent a number of years in representative roles, such as a class rep in the UCD Students union, Chris also has a keen interest in politics. He is looking forward to combining his passion for both politics and the environment to tackle the challenges ahead on the campaign trail.  

Conor Kenny
Conor is a History and Political Science undergraduate at Trinity College Dublin. Conor moved from Liverpool to Cork with his family at a young age, and has resided in Dublin since 2011. More recently, Conor worked with U.S Congressman Bill Keating's constituency office, during which time he was tasked with preparing several key reports regarding the 2013 budget sequestration, with a particular emphasis on how this event affected the local area of Cape Cod. Conor has a passion for environmental and progressive causes, and is therefore committed to helping Dr. Cara Augustenborg win the Killiney-Shankill seat.

Elizabeth O’Reilly
Elizabeth graduated with a B.A. in Zoology and has a Masters in Environmental Management. She has subsequently gained experience working in government agencies such as the Environment Protection Agency and the Marine Institute. As a keen hiker and explorer of Ireland’s majestic landscape, she is dedicated to making a valuable contribution to the awareness, protection and sustainable development of Ireland’s natural heritage. She knows the importance of local politics in our society and in achieving this goal. Elizabeth is very excited to be working with Cara and is looking forward to the campaign ahead.