Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I note we have three minutes each. I thank the Leader for laying out the Order of Business. I have no difficulty with it.

I wish to raise the issue of local government, which is very dear to my heart. I served for many years on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and travelled around the country a lot in my role on the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, and other bodies representing local government. I acknowledge the work of Cork County Council under its current mayor, Councillor Mary Linehan Foley, and her work. They launched an enormous campaign last week to focus on diversity and inclusion in local government. There is a real need to address these issues. We know that in 2019 the local elections resulted in the election of the highest proportion of women ever in the history of the State.The 226 women elected nationally still only represent 25% of the councillors elected across 31 local authorities, which is disappointing. Why do women and other people on the margins of particular groups feel they are unable to participate meaningfully and actively in local government? There are many reasons. It is not family friendly for starters. There is no maternity leave. There has been a debate about maternity leave for national politicians. I have spoken to women who have maternity issues or who seek maternity leave in local authorities who have been told if they want to be paid or certainly credited for their attendance, they need to produce sick notes, which is unacceptable.

We need diversity and inclusion in local government. I acknowledge the work of the previous Minister of State, Deputy Phelan. I acknowledge that the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, is doing something in terms of supports and practical measures to bring women into politics - and to bring all sorts of people into politics. It is important to encourage, support and facilitate people in our communities. Most of us came into politics through community endeavour and involvement. We were politicised by some experience in our community or by some experience we encountered in our personal life. That is what stirs up something in us and encourages us to bring our personal experience to the political field and do something about it.

As the Leader knows, we are influencers. Everyone has the capacity to influence people. How can we put our heads together in the Houses of the Oireachtas to support local government? We need to address the issue of access. We need to encourage all sorts of diversity into local government. Meetings need to be held at times that are suitable for people. We need to address pay and conditions and the Moorhead recommendation, which I will not touch on today because there is an expectation of some news coming later in the day. We should set aside time for a major discussion on how we can get our neighbours and friends in our communities into government at local, national and European levels.