Written answers
Tuesday, 15 February 2022
Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
Political Funding
Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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351. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of applications that have been made to his Department by political parties to fund activities specifically to prepare for the local elections in 2024 under the incentive scheme structure; the activities such funding is proposed to support; the names of the political parties or groupings that have applied to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7650/22]
Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Since 2019, funding has been made available to political parties for specific projects that they felt would increase female participation in their parties generally and therefore have a positive impact on the overall number of women running as candidates in the 2024 local elections.
Initially, a set amount of funding was provided by my Department to political parties, based on the number of female candidates fielded in the 2019 local elections. Political parties with a higher percentage of women candidates in the 2019 local elections than in 2014 but, where the number of women candidates was under a 30% minimum, could claim €150 per women candidate. Political parties who reached or surpassed the minimum of 30% women candidates could claim €250 per women candidate fielded.
Based on that scheme, funding approved during 2019 and 2020 was as follows:
| Party | 2019 Funding | 2020 Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Fine Gael | 17,700 | 17,700 |
| Fianna Fáil | 13,050 | 13,050 |
| Green Party | 9,000 | Nil |
| Sinn Féin | 19,250 | 19,250 |
| Labour Party | 11,250 | 11,250 |
| Solidarity/PBP | 7,000 | 7,000 |
| Social Democrats | 8,000 | Nil |
| Housing Rights | 500 | 500 |
| Aontú | 4,000 | Nil |
| Total | 89,750 | 68,750 |
Following extensive engagement with a number of the parties in early 2021 to determine how the existing scheme was operating and to discuss any improvements that could be made, the scheme was reviewed in 2021 with the specific target of increasing women candidates and diversity leading up to the 2024 local elections. Funding provision was increased and all political parties, as well as independent candidate representative groups, were invited to apply.
Under the new scheme introduced in 2021, the following political parties and groups applied and were approved for funding as set out below:
| Party | Total amount requested | Approved Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Fine Gael | 93,324 | 36,015 |
| Fianna Fáil | 36,880 | 30,380 |
| Green Party | 43,500 | 28,000 |
| Sinn Féin | 24,000 | 15,000 |
| Labour Party | 34,174 | 23,809 |
| Solidarity/PBP | 8,050 | 8,050 |
| Social Democrats | 12,000 | 12,000 |
| Housing Rights | 3,620 | 3,620 |
| Independents | 5,400 | 5,400 |
| 268,948 | 162,274 |
The activities selected for funding included:
- The establishment of a number of dedicated roles with specific responsibility for diversity/equality matters within their respective parties.
- A variety of events/conferences focused on bringing women party members together and providing space for their voices to shape the direction of their parties.
- Recruitment campaigns targeting potential new women members or with a focus on new members from migrant backgrounds, the travelling community and people with disabilities.
- Training/mentoring programmes specifically for women, aimed at enhancing skills and encouraging women to run for election.
It is intended that a further call for funding will issue in 2022.
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