Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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233. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the details of the funding provided to the National Women’s Council of Ireland to assist in producing the document Women beyond Dáil Éireann ; More Women in Local Government to the Immigrant Council of Ireland to assist in producing The Experience of Migrant Candidates in the 2019 Local Election and to Women for Election commissioned research More Women – changing the face of politics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34069/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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My Department has funded a number of research projects since the 2019 Local Elections, including the National Women’s Council of Ireland ‘Women beyond the Dáil; More Women in Local Government’  (€15,015), the Immigrant Council of Ireland ‘The Experience of Migrant Candidates in the 2019 Local Election’  (€6,750) and, more recently, Women for Election commissioned research ‘More Women – changing the face of politics’ (€10,800).

The research undertaken has highlighted the importance of the role of political parties in increasing female participation and wider diversity in local elections, early intervention to support and coach potential candidates, and supports that need to be provided to ensure a successful and confident election campaign.  

My Department also supports these and other organisations to work with women and people of diversity, in a non-partisan way, providing key capacity building services and training for those interested in local government. 

In recognition of the need to promote gender equality and diversity in local government, my predecessor introduced a funding scheme in March 2019 to incentivise political parties to increase the number of women candidates in the 2019 local elections. The scheme was open to all political parties and the funding provided was an annual grant to political parties, based on their performance in fielding women candidates in the 2019 local elections.  This funding was to be used by the parties specifically for the purposes of promoting gender balance and diversity among the party’s candidates and elected representatives. Following engagement with a number of political parties and key stakeholders, the scheme has been reviewed and I launched a new scheme earlier this year which aims to improve gender balance and diversity among candidates to be fielded by political parties in the 2024 local elections.

At its meeting of 18 May 2021, the Government approved a significant reform of the remuneration of local authority elected members.  It also noted the work of local government stakeholders in agreeing an Action Plan to implement a range of non-pay related reforms, including issues such as maternity leave, administrative supports and professional development for councillors. These reforms, taken together with the pay reforms approved, will make the role of councillor more sustainable and manageable, facilitating a cohort of members representative and fully reflective of the diverse communities they are elected to represent.