Peter Burke, Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, has allocated funding of €62,000 to support women councillors establish caucuses in their areas. This funding is for administrative support, engaging independent facilitators and associated running costs in establishing the caucuses. The Minister announced the funding while on a trip to Limerick today, which included a meeting with Limerick Women’s Caucus, which was the first structure of its kind at local level in Ireland.
Minister Burke said “I am delighted to provide funding for 16 proposals shared between twenty four of our Local Authorities and a joint application from the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG) and See Her Elected (SHE) to establish female caucuses. I had asked our County and City Councils to engage with female elected members in drawing up proposals that would provide the support that is needed at local level. Where the number of women councillors is low, I was glad to see neighbouring local authorities and also the AILG and SHE join together to establish cross county regional caucuses to ensure inclusivity of all councillors. I note, for example, the submission from Roscommon, Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo and Westmeath received €5,000 in funding.”
“I am delighted that the Limerick Women’s Caucus is a beneficiary of this funding and has received €4,000. Limerick have led the way with their cross party caucus and have been active in recent months despite restrictions imposed due to COVID 19.
“Last year, I commissioned research from the National Women’s Council of Ireland about the feasibility of female caucuses in local government structures. The research showed the benefits of having caucuses in place and the best way to go about establishing them. I am hopeful that these structures will strengthen cooperation between women in political life across party and ideological lines, and also strengthen their capacity to effect change. A local or regional caucus will also help build the capacity of women councillors, especially newly elected councillors, through formal and informal mentoring, and promote women’s equality in Local Government,” said the Minister.
The Minister added, “It is imperative that we increase the number of women in Local Government and, as Minister for Planning and Local Government, I am determined to see a marked increase by 2024. There is no single measure that will increase participation but through targeted measures such as caucuses, funding streams for organisations like for Women for Election and Longford Women’s Link, through policy changes, such as implementing the Moorhead Report recommendations, and providing maternity leave for Councillors, we can ensure that our council chambers are more reflective of society in the years ahead.”
Ends
Notes for editors:
Organisation | Proposal | Approved |
AILG* | Facilitator | 5,000 |
Clare CC | Facilitator | 3,000 |
Cork County | Establish statutory remit of caucus through facilitation | 3,000 |
Fingal | Facilitator and operational costs | 5,000 |
Galway City and Council | Facilitator | 2,500 |
| Promotion & Awareness | 1,000 |
| Support outreach to establish links with existing structures | 1,500 |
Kerry CC | Facilitator | 4,000 |
| Admin grant | 1,000 |
Laois & Offaly CCs | Training in relation to establishing a Caucus | 3,000 |
| Training in capacity building, networking, engaging with media and mentoring. | 2,000 |
Limerick CC | Secretariat | 2,500 |
| Awareness workshops | 1,500 |
Longford CC | Facilitator | 2,500 |
| Media Campaign | 1,000 |
Meath CC | Facilitator | 3,000 |
| Miscellaneous | 1,000 |
Roscommon CC** | Facilitator | 5,000 |
South Dublin CC | Facilitator | 5,000 |
Tipperary | Facilitator | 2,000 |
Waterford | Mentoring programme | 1,000 |
Wexford | Facilitator for the development of a terms of reference | 3,500 |
Wicklow | Training programme | 3,000 |
Total | | 62,000 |
*A regional caucus to include Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Galway County, Galway City, Roscommon, Cavan, Monaghan, Longford, Westmeath, Laois, Offaly
**To include female elected members from Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo and Westmeath local authorities