Only three women ever selected as td in constituency

Political group Women for Election are highlighting that only three female TDs from Cavan-Monaghan were ever elected to the constituency, however, none of the three were from Cavan.
As the current Dáil enters its last autumn session before the General Election, Women for Election have produced a league table of counties who have the best record of electing women.
According to the Director of Operations and Campaigns, Suzanne Collins, when Dublin and Cork with their multiple constituencies are excluded, Cavan-Monaghan is slightly above average with other counties for electing women over the past 97 years.
“A total of 1,242 TDs have been elected since 1918 and only 95 of them have been women. Cavan/Monaghan has elected a total of three women - Heather Humphreys, Margaret Conlon and Bridget Rice, who was elected in the old constituency of Monaghan. However, all three hailed from Monaghan,” said Ms Collins.
“Of the other counties around the country, the average number of women elected in each since 1918 is two.
“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 ever been elected to Dáil Éireann and make up over 30% of the currently declared candidates. Two of the six declared candidates in Cavan-Monaghan are women so far.”
The two declared and selected candidates for the constituency ahead of the General Election are Ballybay’s Minister for Arts Heather Humphreys of Fine Gael and Ballyjamesduff Sinn Féin Senator Kathryn Reilly.
It is understood that Fianna Fáil Cllr Niamh Smyth of Bailieborough will put her hat in the ring alongside former Monaghan TD Margaret Conlon when the party calls its selection convention in the next two weeks.
“As we enter the last autumn session of the 31st Dáil, it is worth considering the huge potential that there is for it to be the last Dáil with so few women. With the support of electorate for female candidates, the 32nd Dáil could change the face of Irish politics and truly make history,” said Ms Collins.