‘Too little, too late’ – election candidate hits out at Minister Phelan’s €200,000 gender imbalance package

AN Independent local election candidate has criticised Minister John Paul Phelan’s recent announcement of a €200,000 package to encourage more women into politics, describing the measures as “too little, too late”.

Trish Finegan, who is running in the Callan-Thomastown electoral area, said: “As a female candidate running in a rural area and as an Independent none of that funding will impact my campaign.”

Ms Finegan also said the new measures, which include a €100 payment made after the election, only support the established political parties, and exclude Independent female candidates such as herself.

She added: “Surely the government and the Minister of State for Local Government and Electoral Reform could do a bit more for the women candidates of all parties and none brave enough to stand for election.

“If this package is about equality surely it should be divided equally amongst all female candidates that stand for election and not just those that stand for a party.”