Minister of State for Planning and Local Government Alan Dillon TD has announced funding of €171,162 for the Longford-based See Her Elected (SHE) to “support and encourage” the participation of women from rural Ireland in local politics.
“The outcome of the local elections in June of this year was encouraging in terms of the participation of women in local government: a record 681 female candidates participated, representing an almost 18% increase on the previous elections in 2019, and almost a third candidates overall,” he said.
“The 247 women councillors elected make up 26% of councillors overall – the highest proportion of women elected to local government in the history of the state. There is, however, still plenty of work to be done towards our goal of making our council chambers fully reflective of the communities they serve. Groups like See Her Elected are essential to making that goal a reality.”
See Her Elected is a collaboration between Longford Women’s Link – a heavily state-funded activist NGO and 50:50 North West. It seeks to provide women with the skills and knowledge to participate in local politics, including capacity building, training, and the publication of an A-Z guides. It collaborates with local authorities across the country.
Notably, the program is 100% funded by the Government, with its website reading: “The programme is fully funded by the Irish Government’s Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.”
“My Department has provided 100% funding for See Her Elected since its inception in 2019, and over that time they have become a key partner in our efforts to promote the participation of women from all walks of life in local democracy,” Minister Dillon continued.
“The SHE team contributed enormously to the recent successes at local level, with 40% of women councillors elected on June 7th receiving support from SHE, and a significant number of other SHE-supported candidates finishing in runner-up positions or receiving strong first preference votes.”
He added: “It is my hope that this funding will continue to assist SHE in affecting real change. I will continue to work closely with SHE – and all our key partners – towards our shared goal of greater equality at the level of government closest to the citizen.”
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.
https://twitter.com/griptmedia/status/1735374716355916160However, 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.
https://twitter.com/griptmedia/status/1791136380283670581