Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

118. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of female councillors elected nationwide following the recent local elections; the way this figure compares with previous local elections; his views on the progress that is being made to encourage female participation in politics; the further steps that will be taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26499/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Provisional data indicates that some 21% of the local authority members elected at the 2014 local elections were women. This compares with a figure of 19% at the 2009 local elections. The lack of equality in participation by women in politics has been recognised as a lacuna in public life for some time and I welcome this small, but important, increased level of representation by women in local government. The Government is committed to further improving the participation of women in politics and has introduced legislation linking the State funding of political parties under the Electoral Act 1997 to the achievement of a gender balance in candidate selection at Dáil general elections.

Part 6 of the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 provides that in order to receive full State funding, a qualified political party must select at least 30% women candidates and at least 30% men candidates at the next general election. Seven years from the next general election, this will rise to 40% commencing at the general election held next after that. Payments made to political parties will be reduced by half in the event that this condition is not fulfilled. The provision is designed as an incentive mechanism to encourage political parties to apply a more equal gender balance in the selection of candidates.