Blessed can be the leading trio among women
IN the wake of announcing his first Cabinet, Fine Gael’s Leo Varadkar expressed regret that the lack of women in Leinster House meant gender equality wasn’t possible.
The good news for Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin is that there is no such problem if he wishes to be amongst women in his ground-breaking union of FF/FG and the Greens.
The new Taoiseach will struggle when it comes to his own ranks, but he has a minimum of four contenders. Outside of Anne Rabbitte, who has played a highprofile role in negotiations, other contenders would include Norma Foley in Kerry and Niamh Smyth in Cavan-Monaghan.
Lisa Chambers, described by one senior Fianna Fáil figure as representing the ‘pet political project’ of Mr Martin, lost her Dáil seat. However, her status as a senator means Mr Martin could follow the precedent set by Garret FitzGerald and parachute Ms Chambers into the Cabinet.
Within the Greens, concerns are rising that Neasa Hourigan ‘may be gazumped by Eamon’s boys, either Roderic [O’Gorman], Ossian Smyth or Malcolm Noonan’. It is believed, though, that party leader Eamon Ryan will be warned that ‘if he wants two-and-ahalf, let alone five, years in government, Neasa will be in the first 15’. The inclusion of Catherine Martin and Ms Hourigan would bring the number of female Cabinet hopefuls up to five, and there is no shortage of Fine Gael options either. Outside of the well-regarded Heather Humphreys there has been a late move towards Hildegarde Naughton from Galway West.
One senior Fine Gael source noted: ‘She is the sort female politician Leo likes. Neat, tidy does not rock any boats.
‘That is not the end of it either. Jennifer Carroll MacNeill could also enter the frame too. She might be a first-time TD, but she has worked for three ministers.’ Helen McEntee from Meath has also been cited in despatches.