Independent Minister Katherine Zappone has said she is disappointed by the lack of women appointed as Junior Ministers.

Children’s Minister Zappone’s comments come after Fine Gael TD Kate O’Connell criticised the lack of senior positions for women within the government, and referred to the junior ministerial appointments as “jobs for the boys”.

Speaking at the Front Line Defenders Humanitarian Awards, Minister Katherine Zappone said she wants women to have more of a voice in the Oireachtas.

“I was disappointed not to see more women put into junior ministries,” she said. “There is a much bigger number now, though, of women in parliament.”