A number of female Fine Gael TDs last night strongly criticised the lack of women appointed to the junior ministerial ranks by Taoiseach Enda Kenny earlier this week.

Of the nine Minister of State positions in his gift, Mr Kenny did not appoint any women deputies when choosing his new junior ministerial line-up.

The Taoiseach was not at last night's meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party because he was attending the EU summit in Brussels. Dr James Reilly, the Minister for Children who is the party's deputy leader, chaired the meeting in his absence.

At least five female members of the parliamentary party criticised the appointments, while also saying those chosen would do a good job.

Senator Catherine Noone accused Fine Gael of “talking the talk but not walking the walk when it came” to gender equality in politics, but said any women chosen should be picked on merit. The party has introduced legislation to ensure 30 per cent of election candidates are female, but has faced claims in recent days that it was not following up on this by appointing more women to ministerial office.

First to speak out

Laois-Offaly TD Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy was the first to speak out at the meeting and said more women should have been appointed by Mr Kenny.

She was supported in her call by Dublin South-Central’s Catherine Byrne, Mayo TD Michelle Mulherin and Meath East TD Regina Doherty. Ms Doherty was one of those tipped for a job in the run up to the reshuffle.

Cork South Central TD Jerry Buttimer and Dublin Mid-West’s Derek Keating attacked the Government’s response to a Private Member’s Bill on disability issues. Mr Buttimer was said by sources to have described the response as inadequate and also strongly criticised the performance of the Taoiseach on the issue in the Dáil earlier yesterday.