Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 501: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his policy on the introduction of a 30% gender quota for the 2014 local elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11073/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Part 5 of the Electoral (Amendment) Political Funding Bill 2011, published on 15 December 2011, provides that political parties will face a cut of half their State funding received under the Electoral Act 1997 if they do not have at least 30% women and 30% men candidates at the next general election. Seven years from the general election where this provision first applies, the Bill makes provision for this figure to rise to 40% in respect of each gender, commencing at the general election held next after that. The Bill is currently before the Seanad.

Payments made to qualified political parties under Part 3 of the Electoral Act 1997 are linked to performance at a General Election and these new requirements will therefore apply in respect of candidates of political parties at a General Election. There is no linkage between these payments and local elections. The measures in Part 5 of the Bill will therefore not apply in respect of the 2014 local elections. It is, however, my intention that the measures should have a knock-on effect by providing an incentive to political parties voluntarily to apply similar arrangements at local elections.