Government-funded initiatives to boost the representation of women and migrants among Councillors are proving effective and reshaping the political landscape, a Fine Gael Minister has boasted.
Minister of State for Planning and Local Government Alan Dillon TD today said he “welcomed the significant progress made in 2024 by women and diverse groups seeking election to local councils” – though he said there was “need for continued work and focus on the issue.”
In 2024, the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage introduced various measures to encourage greater participation from women and “diverse candidates”. A budget of €1 million was allocated for this initiative, with the same funding set to be available again in 2025.
“While we still have a way to go in terms of representation at local level, it is important to recognise the progress made in 2024 – both at the local elections last June and as a result of co-options to local councils since the general election in November,” the Minister said.
“We witnessed a landmark level of participation amongst women and people from diverse backgrounds at the polls last June, with record numbers of both candidates and councillors elected. Co-options of women to local councils since the general election in November have pushed the number of women councillors higher still.”
Dillon noted that last June’s local elections featured a record 681 female candidates, an 18% increase compared to the 2019 elections. Of these, 247 women were elected, making up 26% of all councillors—the highest proportion of women in local government in the state’s history.
Three councils now have 40% or more female representation, with nine local electoral areas (LEAs) having more women than men as councillors and ten LEAs achieving gender parity.
Over 100 candidates from migrant backgrounds participated in the 2024 local elections, a significant increase from 56 in 2019. The number of elected migrant candidates more than doubled, rising to 21 from just 9 in 2019.
Since the general election in November, with some vacancies still to be filled, an additional 8 women councillors have been co-opted. South Dublin County Council has now become the first local authority to have a majority of women councillors.
“While women and people from diverse backgrounds are still underrepresented at local government level in Ireland, the wide range of programmes offered by my Department, in collaboration with political parties, local authorities and key civil society partners, are moving the dial,” he said.
“By helping to raise public awareness of this issue, proactively promoting participation and making the role of councillor more attractive and sustainable for all, we are starting to affect real change.”
Over €500,000 in funding was allocated to the NGOs Women for Election and See Her Elected. Additionally, 23 local authorities received a combined total of €192,650 through the Department’s annual “Call for Funding,” which provides financial support for initiatives aimed at increasing the participation of women and “diverse groups” at the local level. Support was also extended to regional and local caucuses.
“People recognise the need for Council chambers to more fully reflect the communities they represent,” Dillon said.
“While we can see the positive impact of our efforts in 2024, now is not the time to become complacent. It is my hope that in 2025 we can capitalise on the great work already done and, in advance of the next local elections, continue to work to achieve truly equitable representation for all at local level.”
Last year Gript reported how the Government had announced a funding package of €230,372 in taxpayer money, which went to nine political parties and one independents group to support “an increased number of women candidates and people of diversity” in the upcoming Local Elections. That scheme has been in place since 2019.
However, when Gript asked the Department to enumerate the exact criteria that qualified as a “person of diversity,” they failed to provide an exhaustive list, as did Tánaiste Micheál Martin when asked.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe previously defended the government’s allocation of taxpayer money to try and increase the number of election candidates from “diverse” backgrounds, calling it money “well spent.”