Applying a gender lens to Irish political, economic and banking governance means examining the degree to which gender inequality in governance was a strong contributory factor in causing the initial global and economic crisis. It also gives insight into how gender equality in wider decision making can improve governance responses to the crisis. This short paper reviews gender inequality in banking governance as a cause of the crisis (section one) and then examines how patterns of gender inequality in political and public spheres limits capacity to resolve the crisis (section two). It concludes women’s agency is crucial and that gender equality in public and private decision making is an essential part of a sustainable future (section three).