Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Damien English, to the House.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Commencement matter. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, to the House. He is no stranger to local government having being a Minister of State in that Department. He is hugely committed to local government, to reform and to the participation of the widest possible number of people in local government. He is a strong advocate of that and I am delighted he is here to take this Commencement matter.

The Commencement matter I have tabled is on the need for the Minister of State with responsibility for planning and local government to make a statement on increasing participation of women and diversity in local government, including the funding to facilitate this participation. That is the issue. At the very outset, I acknowledge the decision yesterday of the Cabinet to approve, at least in principle, maternity leave. It is a really important step but it is only one step in terms of increasing the participation of women, particularly in local government. However, I want to see more than that. I want to see diversity within local government. I am thinking of the migrant community and of new people who have come to our shores who are eligible to participate in local government because that is also an important part of it. It is about good people in local government, and supporting people into local government.

I am supportive of promoting wider inclusivity and diversity in local government in all local decision-making. It is important the new entrants into local government are supported and facilitated and assisted in every way possible. It is also important we support the existing councillors. One of the things brought to my attention in recent weeks through the women's caucus is about bringing women into politics, which is fantastic and I fully support it. However, we must also support the women who are there already. Ageism is alive and well in local government and I do not like the suggestion that everyone has to be young to be in local government. There are very able and experienced women in the Minister of State's party and in all parties, but Fine Gael has, I think, a higher ratio of women in local government than most. These women need to be supported too. It is not about them being pushed aside for new entrants. We want new entrants in politics but we also want to support those who want to stay. That is an important point.

I acknowledged that the Cabinet has approved, in principle, maternity leave, which is important. I acknowledge also the work of the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Peter Burke, who has done much work collaboratively with the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, and the Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA. It is important to acknowledge Councillor Mary Hoade. She is a former president of the AILG and is a very strong advocate for women and for the participation of more women in local government as well as for more councillors in local government. She achieved a lot during her term as president of the AILG and I want to acknowledge that.

I acknowledge Councillor Terry O'Flatherty, who has been a councillor on Galway City Council for many years, and Councillor Karey McHugh, who was on that small steering group the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, picked to look at this issue.

What I am really saying is that it is all very progressive and very important. A new round of funding has been identified for increasing participation of women and diversity in local government, which, as it happens, is what this Commencement matter is about. There is a new call for 2022. I think we need to talk about that. We need more publicity in relation to it. People need to be aware there is funding being put in place by Government to encourage women in the parties. It is also for independent women who make a conscious choice not to join a political party. They are as valid and as important in the local government structure.

It is important we encourage people and that we support women, diversity and everyone who wants to make a significant contribution to local government.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Go raibh míle maith agat.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I am glad to have a chance to address Senator Victor Boyhan on the important issue raised today around increasing the participation of women and diversity in local government. It is essential and I am delighted to be able to respond on behalf of Minister of State, Deputy Burke, who successfully brought his proposal through Cabinet yesterday in relation to maternity leave, which should have been there for many years. I am glad he has achieved that now.It will again assist with the participation of women and people from diverse backgrounds in local government, and rightly so.

I fully agree with the Senator that this is a really important conversation we need to have more often. We need to promote the work that is being done in this regard, as well as the notion of people of all ages entering politics. Very often when we talk about new candidates, it is assumed they are young candidates but that is not necessarily the case. New candidates of all ages and all backgrounds are essential in the system and we also need to protect those who are already there and who are giving great service. I came into politics quite young myself, firmly of the belief that every generation should have a voice and be represented, whether at local or national level. There certainly should not be any ageist comments, against either older or younger people. A blend of people from all backgrounds and all age groups should come into politics.

I thank Senator Boyhan for raising the issue of increasing the participation of women and people of diversity in local government. I fully recognise the low rate of female participation in local government and addressing this issue has been a policy priority of the Government since its formation. A range of initiatives have been undertaken that are aimed at improving the gender and diversity balance of councils while, at the same time, working to make the role of councillor more sustainable for all and more attractive given, as we all recognise, it is a very busy but very important role, whether the person is a member of a party or is an Independent. They are all equally important and equally beneficial to their local community.

On the specific issue of funding to local authorities, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has issued annual calls for funding since 2019, requesting local authorities to submit appropriate proposals for projects to address the under-representation of women and people of diversity in local government structures and decision-making. While it is fully appreciated local authorities do not have a specific role regarding political candidacy for local elections, they are in a position to create an informed, supportive and encouraging environment for women and people of diversity who might be interested in local government.

There has been great interest from the local authority sector, with a range of innovative applications received. In 2021, more than €103,000 was allocated to 14 local authorities. Proposals that have received funding at local authority level include a behaviour and attitudes survey among non-national groups, a webinar on political engagement, a work shadowing programme for young women interested in local government and the publication of an information booklet on the role of the councillor. Earlier this month, the 2022 call for funding was issued to local authorities.

In addition, following research funded by the Department in 2021 on female caucuses in local government structures, funding was approved for local authorities to assist with the establishment and running of such caucuses. The provision of this funding was through an application process and funding was provided mainly to caucuses that were yet to be established. In 2021, funding of €62,000 was approved to help facilitate 24 local authorities with local level and regional caucuses. Since 2019, grant funding has been made available to political parties for specific projects aimed at increasing female participation and diversity in their parties.

In September 2021, following a review of the scheme, an increased fund of €150,274 was allocated to seven political parties and, for the first time, to an Independent group. I have no doubt the Senator will have been aware of that and will be glad to hear it confirmed. Under this scheme, initiatives previously funded include: the appointment of a party diversity officer, a recruitment campaign targeting new members from migrant backgrounds, the Traveller community and people with disabilities; development and training workshops for women members; and an annual women’s conference. It is proposed to issue a further call for funding again this year to the political parties and, no doubt, to the Independent groups as well.

I again thank the Senator for raising this important issue and for his considered views. It is important we continue to shine a light on the efforts of everybody in these Houses to increase diversity and gender balance in local government.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State. I am very familiar with the Independent group that was included last year because we lobbied for it. It had not been included in the initial proposals and we pulled together a group of Independents to make a submission to the then Minister of State with responsibility for the matter, Deputy Phelan, the year before last. To be fair to him, he was very keen to facilitate that.

The Minister of State, Deputy English, summed it up when he stated it is important every generation have an opportunity, to which I would add that all generations should have an equal opportunity, be they diverse or whoever they are, to participate in local democracy. The work the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has been doing is exceptional. I acknowledge also Ms Louise Purcell, an assistant principal officer who has really driven this and taken responsibility for it within the Department. She has kept in touch with the city and county managers, the chief executives and the local authority and councillor groups, so I acknowledge her participation and support, as well as that of the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke. It is all very progressive and will, I hope, bring in more new candidates.

Let us continue to keep the focus equally on supporting in their work those who wish to stay on as city and county councillors. We need every generation to get involved. Local government is best served by having a mix of people with diverse views and a mix of generations.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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As I described, a range of measures are being taken to promote gender balance and diversity in local government, including supports through local authorities for women’s caucuses and political parties. Like the Senator, I recognise all those who have been involved in promoting this, whether in the Department, local government, the Local Government Management Agency, LGMA, or any of the other the various councillor representative bodies, to make it happen, along with the Senator himself. Deputy Peter Burke has been a Minister of State very open to engaging and he has built on the work of Deputy Phelan, working with all stakeholders to try to get results and make things happen. It may have taken longer than it should have in regard to maternity leave and so on but I am glad the matter passed through Cabinet yesterday, which is really important.

The measures I mentioned also include supports to Women for Election, Longford Women’s Link and the National Women's Council of Ireland, which provide capacity-building and training services as well as policy research benefiting all women interested in entering local government. As I said, the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, just yesterday secured Cabinet approval for proposals to provide maternity leave and supports for councillors, as well as cover in respect of votes or important decisions at local authority level and administrative support, as may be required, which should take some pressure off councillors who need maternity leave to look after a newborn. They will not feel as though they have to be there for all the meetings and votes and they will have a choice in that regard. To be clear, that should have been in place a long time ago and I am glad it has been secured. These measures are in addition to the significant reform of councillor remuneration introduced with effect from 1 July 2021, which places the role of councillor on a more financially sustainable footing and recognises their expanded role.

We continue to work with the sector on non-pay-related improvements to the role. It is the intention of the Government that through the funding schemes I have mentioned, alongside the holistic reforms being put in place such as maternity leave and supports, the role of the councillor can become truly achievable and sustainable for all, exactly as the Senator outlined. It should be an option for everybody, no matter who they are or where they are from. In that way, we will have elected councils that are more fully representative of the diverse communities they represent.