Fitzgerald calls for immediate gender balance in cabinet roles

The Fine Gael MEP has said a 50-50 gender balance should be introduced in the next reshuffle, rather than waiting for half of all TDs to be female

Former tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald: ‘I’m pretty impatient now about the rate of progress’ Pic: Fergal Phillips

Frances Fitzgerald, the Fine Gael MEP, has called for an immediate 50-50 split in cabinet between men and women, in a move which puts her at odds with the approach of Leo Varadkar, the Tánaiste.

Varadkar has outlined his wish for a 50/50 per cent representation in the Dáil to increase the chances of achieving a gender-balanced cabinet.

However, Fitzgerald told the Business Post that she wanted half of the ministerial positions in cabinet given ...