Taoiseach Enda Kenny has pledged to have an equal number of women as men in cabinet if Fine Gael is returned to power after the next general election.

In a clear attempt to woo women voters back to the party, Mr Kenny said the present Government had done a lot to promote gender balance. “If I have the opportunity on the next occasion to appoint a cabinet, it will be a 50:50 on merit, of men and women,” he said.

The Taoiseach made the commitment in an interview with political correspondents at Leinster House and later repeated it at the European Union summit in Brussels. The number of women who sit around the Cabinet table at present is higher than ever before, Mr Kenny said.

Out of the 15 Ministers in the Cabinet, four * are women: Joan Burton, Frances Fitzgerald, Jan O'Sullivan and Heather Humphreys. Attorney General Máire Whelan also attends Cabinet meetings, meaning a quarter of those around the table are women.

There are just 25 women TDs in the Dáil, out of a total 166. Although this is the highest number yet, there has not been a significant increase over the past few elections.

At the next election, political parties will be obliged to nominate women as 30 per cent of their candidates. Parties who fail to meet this target will face severe financial penalties in terms of cuts to State funding.

All of the parties are in the process of ensuring they meet the target but it is going to impose internal strains, particularly in Fine Gael and Labour.

Many male TDs in both Government parties fear they may lose their seats as a result of having women running mates.

* This article was edited on Friday, December 19th, 2014 to correct a factual error.