LIMERICK has elected just two female TDs since 1918, according to figures compiled by the Women for Election organisation.
The only two women to ever have represented Limerick city and county in the Dáil are Jan O’Sullivan, from 1998 to the present, and Kathleen O’Callaghan from 1921 to 1923.
Both TDs were elected in the Limerick City constituency (formerly Limerick East).
The figures for Limerick are in line with the average number of women elected in each county since 1918.
The counties with the highest number of female TDs since 1918 are Dublin (40) and Cork (9).
Three counties – Cavan, Laois and Louth – have never elected a female TD.
Director of Operations and Campaigns with Women for Election, Suzanne Collins said: “While the number of women elected in the last 97 years has been shockingly low – so have the number of women running. In many cases, the electorate will have had little or no choice on the ballot paper.
“This time, we are already at unprecedented numbers of female candidates. At 98 candidates the number of women currently running exceeds the number who have ever been elected to Dáil Éireann and make up over 30 per cent of the currently declared candidates. Currently two of ten declared candidates across the two Limerick constituencies are female.”
