DEAR EDITOR: In response to Lorcan Roche Kelly’s article (Irish Farmers Journal, 3 February) which rightly drew attention to the lack of gender balance in Irish co-ops, I want to highlight a current opportunity for greater female involvement.

To tackle the issue of female under-representation, Tirlán shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favour of introducing three new “designated seats” on all 11 regional committees and an additional seat per region on our council.

Initially, these seats will be reserved for female candidates, however, the long-term vision is for female participation to become the standard.

This move will align the gender balance within the council with national farm ownership statistics, at 13%. Our hope is that by introducing designated seats, women will become more visible in our co-op, encouraging broader female involvement.

As the saying goes, “If you can see it, you can be it.”

For those interested in actively participating in their co-op, please email me at andaly@tirlan.ie.

Additionally, feel free to engage with members of your local Tirlán regional committee for more information.