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Gender Quotas Database

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Ireland

Ireland

Northern Europe

Ireland has a Bicameral parliament with the use of voluntary party quotas and legislated quotas for the single/lower house. 37 of 160 (23%) seats in the Dáil Éireann / House of Representatives are held by women.

At a glance

Structure of parliament Bicameral

Are there legislated quotas

For the Single / Lower house? Yes
For the Upper house? No
For the Sub-national level? No

Are there voluntary quotas?

Adopted by political parties? Yes
Is there additional information? Yes

Single / Lower House

Dáil Éireann / House of Representatives

Total seats 160
Total women 37
Percentage of women 23%
Gender Quota target 40%
Election year 2020
Electoral system STV
Quota type Legislated Candidate Quotas
Election details IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline
Legal source Details
Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas Electoral law

(Section 17.c) Payments calculated in accordance with this Part shall be reduced by 50 percent, unless at least 40 percent of the candidates whose candidatures were authenticated by the qualified party at the preceding general election were women and at least 40 percent were men. (Electoral -Political Funding- Act. Part 6)
Political funding legislation

(Section 17.c) Payments calculated in accordance with this Part shall be reduced by 50 percent, unless at least 40 percent of the candidates whose candidatures were authenticated by the qualified party at the preceding general election were women and at least 40 percent were men. (Electoral -Political Funding- Act. Part 6)
Legal sanctions for non-compliance Electoral law

(Section 17.c) Payments calculated in accordance with this Part shall be reduced by 50 percent, unless at least 40 percent of the candidates whose candidatures were authenticated by the qualified party at the preceding general election were women and at least 40 percent were men. (Electoral -Political Funding- Act. Part 6)
Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties related to gender equality among candidates? Yes

if parties fail to respect legislative quotas they lose half of the State funding they receive annually. the law foresees an increasing in the legislative quota from 30 per cento to 40 per cent for elections to be held in 2020

See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database
Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? Yes, funds earmarked for gender activities See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database
Sources Additional information Contact us

Upper House

Seanad Éireann / Senate

Total seats 60
Total women 24
Percentage of women 40%
Gender Quota target
Election year 2020
Electoral system
Quota type
Election details IPU Parline
Legal source Details
No data available
Sources Additional information Contact us

Voluntary Political Party Quotas*

Party Official Name Details, Quota provisions
Fianna Fail Fianna Fail (FF)

Increasing female representation, ensuring more women are present at key decision makingprocesses. Implementation to a 30% gender quota system for local elections candidates for political parties
Fianna Fail: the Republican Party

In 2005 Fianna Fail adopted a 30 percent gender quota for internal party positions, with the target of selecting 1/3 female candidates for the next local elections (about 2008).
Fine Gael

The party had a 33 percent target for women in local elections in the mid 1990's.
Green Party Comhaontas Glas

The party has a 40/60 gender balance among election candidates (1992). In order to qualify for 50 percent of the party funding within the Green Party, a 40/60 gender balance among election candidates must be attained.
Labour Party

The Labour party previously had a 25 percent quota for women on party lists. In 2007 the party adopted a 30 percent quota for women regarding internal Party positions, for example to the National Executive Council which is the highest Party body. Party members have passed a motion to have 50 percent women candidates in the 2013 Local Elections. Labour has the highest percentage of women Members of the Parliament in Ireland (35 percent).
Sinn Fein

Sinn Fein has an internal party quota of 40 percent for women.
The Workers Party (WP)

WP has a 40 percent quota for women on party lists (1991). The party is not represented in parliament.

* Only political parties represented in parliament are included. When a country has legislated quotas in place, only political parties that have voluntary quotas that exceed the percentage/number of the national quota legislation are presented in this table.

Sources Additional information Contact us

Additional information

Following several years of active lobbying by gender equality and women’s rights advocates, the amendment to the Elections Act’s Section on State Funding of Political Parties and Gender Balance was approved by the legislature in 2012. Following its adoption, groups promoting gender balance in public offices have called for this regulation to be extended to cover the sub-national elections to be held in 2014.

Sources

Legal Sources:

  • Constitution of Ireland - Link
  • The Electoral Act - Link
  • Electoral (Political Funding) Act - Link

Other Sources:

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