The Glass Ceiling

The Glass Ceiling is back, as Ciara Phelan meets some of the most influential women on the Irish political scene.

Ciara is the political correspondent for the Irish Mirror, and in series two she will find out what makes some of Ireland's most recognisable women tick.

We look at the triumphs and the setbacks, as well as the issues that are uniquely experienced by women in politics.

In episode one, we meet Fine Gael Minister of State at the Department of Education, Josepha Madigan. She tells Ciara about the life-changing decision to speak out about surviving sexual assault, as well as her unique experience of life in Irish politics.

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Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu joins me to wrap up series one of The Glass Ceiling podcast.

Ms Chu discusses suffering from depression in her teens right into early adulthood.

After the loss of a friend, Ms Chu went travelling before returning home to Ireland and later decided to get involved in politics.

The mother of one discusses suffering from postnatal depression and chats about her journey through what she said was a difficult pregnancy because she suffered from severe morning sickness.

Ms Chu, who is running for a seat in the Seanad speaks about why she is pushing ahead with contesting the by-election despite her candidacy leading to tensions within the Green Party.

She wants better representation of people in the Oireachtas particularly women and people from minority backgrounds.

Ms Chu also chats about the racist abuse that has been directed towards her and her family.

And what her life is like behind closed doors with her daughter Alex and her partner Patrick Costello, who is a TD for the Green Party.

In a very raw and honest interview, Fianna Fail Minister of State for Disability Anne Rabbitte discusses losing her husband Paddy in 2011 when their three children were under the age of 9. 

The TD for Galway East who was just 37 at the time of her husband’s death chats about how she copes with grief and what her life was like with Paddy.

She speaks about the fire in her belly which pushed her to seek election after Paddy had passed away and how she has managed balancing both family and political life. 

Ms Rabbitte also speaks about the challenges of motherhood as a widow and how she deals with her teenage children’s view of political issues of the day.

She also speaks about social media and says she no longer bites her tongue when it comes to responding to trolls. 

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee joins The Glass Ceiling to discuss the recent announcement about her maternity leave.

Ms McEntee is the first member of Cabinet to be pregnant while in office in the history of the State. 

She chats about how she is feeling about becoming a mother for the first time and preparing for the arrival of her baby in May. 

Earlier this year, the Minister commenced legislation which tackles the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

The Fine Gael TD says she thinks teenagers are sexually getting involved with each other at a much younger age now and there is a need to address it. 

We discuss how social media apps have significantly changed how young people grow up in Ireland and how she handles online trolls.

Her father Shane McEntee died by suicide in 2012 while serving as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture.

Ms McEntee discusses running for election just months after he passed away and although it was hectic, she thinks it helped her grieve.

MEP Frances Fitzgerald joins The Glass Ceiling to discuss the inequalities facing women in society. 

She speaks about her report that was recently adopted by the European Parliament which explores the gender perspectives in the Covid-19 crisis.

Ms Fitzgerald who worked as a social worker prior to her political career, talks about domestic violence and the factors that fuel it - including power and alcohol. 

The Fine Gael politician reflects on her career to date having held numerous Ministerial briefs over the years and also speaks about her controversial resignation as Tanáiste in 2017.

She opens up about suffering two miscarriages and recalls couples approaching her who were relieved she had spoken about it.  

She said Ireland needs to be more open and have straight forward conversations about fertility issues. 

Ms Fitzgerald also chats about revisiting the sex education curriculum in schools. 

In the first episode, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald gives a very personal insight into the highs and lows she has faced so far during her political career.

She discusses making history as the first woman to lead the Opposition in Ireland and also why she believes the country is ready for a female Taoiseach.

The TD for Dublin Central outlines what she wants to change as she claims the current political system is very detached from everyday life.

With political life comes public scrutiny and the Sinn Fein President reveals how she pulls through the bad days and encourages women, despite the barriers they face, to get involved in politics.

Ms McDonald credits her stubbornness for getting her to where she is today while also addressing the party’s historical association with the IRA.

She also chats about what keeps her up at night and why her daughter wants her to start meditating.