Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 May 2023
322. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 204 of 11 May 2023, when the specific recommendations regarding paternity and parental leave proposed by the cross-party all-female councillor sub-group in 2021 will be implemented. [23745/23]
View answerAs outlined in my answer to Parliamentary Question No. 204 of 11 May 2023, the urgent priority in 2022 was to address the issue of maternity leave for councillors, in order to remove what was a significant obstacle to the participation of women in local government.
The implementation of other forms of family leave for councillors, who remain officeholders and not employees, will require detailed policy discussions with both the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the Department of Social Protection. The legislative amendments required to introduce such family leave arrangements for officeholders requires careful consideration. It is my intention that those discussions will begin later this year.
In the meantime, it is the case that councillors can already be absent from their role for up to 6 months under Section 18 of the Local Government Act 2001 (as amended).
As previously advised, my Department’s immediate priority is the finalisation and commencement of regulations which will provide that elected members will be able to avail of an allowance for administrative assistance if they avail of or are entitled to maternity leave. In the run up to the 2024 local elections, my Department will also continue to prioritise the promotion of women’s participation in local government through funding streams targeting local authorities, local level women’s caucuses, political parties and key partner groups active in the sector.
