Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 December 2022
93. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to address issues raised in a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62602/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe report recently published by Cork City Council Women’s Caucus, “Women’s Voices in the Council Chamber”, is very informative regarding the historical and present-day representation of women in Irish local government, and in Cork City specifically. The report raises a number of important issues in relation to gender balance in local government and highlights the lived experiences of women candidates and councillors.
I have approved funding to a number of initiatives aimed at combatting some of the issues identified in the report.
A funding scheme was introduced in March 2019 to incentivise political parties to increase the number of women candidates in the 2019 local elections. In 2021, I launched a revised version of the scheme, which now includes suggested activities and measurables along with additional funding provided. This new scheme is open to all registered political parties and, in the interests of inclusivity, to official representative groups of independent councillors. Recently I was happy to announce a further €215,594 to seven political parties and two independent groups to encourage an increase in the number of women candidates and people of diversity running in the Local Elections in 2024.
My Department also funds partner organisations such as Women for Election, Longford Women’s Link and The National Women’s Council of Ireland to provide capacity building and training services, benefitting all women interested in entering local government, with or without political party affiliation.
In early 2021, my Department provided funding to the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) to undertake research entitled “Women doing politics differently – development of local or regional caucus for women councillors – identifying interest and examining possible supports”. To support the findings of this research, I approved funding for local authorities to assist with the establishment and running of such caucuses. €62,000 was provided in total to 15 local authorities, and one inter-county group supported by the AILG and Longford Women’s Link.
My Department continues to support local authorities in their efforts to encourage the participation of women and wider diversity in local government structures. I have approved funding to local authorities for projects which have included building general awareness of local government and participation in local decision-making structures among women, and minority and diverse communities. Recently, I announced funding allocations in the amount of €192,200 which was awarded to 18 local authorities where approved proposals had a strategic focus on activities that would encourage and support gender and diversity balance in local government structures and decision making ahead of the 2024 local elections. Local authorities were asked specifically to examine the increasingly prevalent issue of online abuse directed at councillors.
The Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Members of Local Authorities) Bill 2022 completed Committee Stage last week and it is hoped to progress through the Houses of the Oireachtas before the end of year recess. This progressive Bill gives legislative effect to Government commitments to establish, for the first time, an entitlement of maternity leave to local authority elected members, equivalent to the current entitlement for employees under the Maternity Protection Act 1994. This is an innovative piece of legislation that aims to encourage any woman who wishes to become involved in local government to do so knowing that there will be statutory supports and inclusive structures in place to allow access to maternity leave. Once Maternity leave has been made available to councillors, the Department can examine how best to provide for other family leaves.
With regard to the report’s recommendation on the introduction of gender quotas, at present, state funding of political parties is linked to the achievement of a gender balance in candidate selection for Dáil general elections only, by a provision of the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012. The intention at the time was that these measures would have a knock-on effect by providing an incentive to political parties to expand voluntarily their gender diversity. These funding provisions also had an impact by highlighting the issue of gender disparity in politics and providing a starting point for addressing imbalances.
The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future sets out a broad range of electoral reforms which the Government is committed to delivering during its term of office, including a specific commitment to the establishment of an independent, statutory Electoral Commission. Administrative arrangements for the establishment of the Electoral Commission – entitled An Coimisiún Toghcháin – are currently being put in place by a transition team within the Department.
An Coimisiún will strengthen our electoral system as a whole and help us to anticipate and respond to the challenges we face in our evolving electoral environment. An Coimisiún Toghcháin will have a research and advisory function. In this context, the Programme for Government commits the Electoral Commission, when established, to undertake a number of items of research on electoral matters and an Coimisiún will be well placed, if requested, to undertake a comprehensive review of the Electoral Act 1997 which provides the statutory framework for dealing with political financing and the funding of political parties.
