Shaking up the Dáil

Boundary changes will make gender quotas harder to meet, coalition leaders admit

More three-seat constituencies will make meeting the new 40 per cent quota for female candidates even more difficult for large parties

The quota on female candidates has been increased from 30% to 40% for the next general election. Picture: Fergal Philips

New gender quotas for general election candidates will be made even more “challenging” due to constituency boundary changes, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste Micheál Martin have admitted.

The Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil leaders were speaking to the Business Post after the Electoral Commission delivered its highly anticipated constituency boundary changes.

While the changes are thought broadly to favour the larger parties, the creation of even more three-seater constituencies will make meeting the new 40 ...