There was a bit of irony in one topic examined last week at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, which some members themselves recognised.

A delegation from University of Galway spoke about their research on women in agriculture.

However, there is currently no woman on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture. Until recent months, Sinn Féin’s then spokesperson on agriculture Claire Kerrane sat on the committee but has since moved to a new brief.

Associate professor Maura Farrell was critical of the lack of gender balance.

“It is a disappointment that there are not women within this agricultural committee, when we’re trying to represent those women and make sure they have a voice,” she said.