Political parties to get funding to increase female participation

Funding will go towards hosting women’s conferences, employing dedicated gender/ diversity staff within parties, hosting policy and training workshops, as well as recruitment campaigns in person and online.

Political parties and Independents are to receive just over €150,000 in funding to increase female participation in the next local elections.

In a bid to achieve a gender-balanced political system in the 2024 elections, Minister for Planning and Local Government Peter Burke has approved the additional funding which will be allocated to political parties and Independent female councillors.

Fine Gael is to receive €36,015, Fianna Fáil has been approved €30,380 funding and the Green Party €28,000.

Others to receive funding include Labour, which has been approved €23,809, Sinn Fein will receive €15,000 and Independents will get €5,400.

Mr Burke said he wants to ensure the funding is linked to "targeted measures and tangible outcomes" and political parties involved in the scheme have been asked to clearly set out a strategic timeline over the next three years as to how they will support and prepare female candidates to run in the local elections in 2024.

The money will go towards hosting women’s conferences, employing dedicated gender/ diversity staff within parties, hosting policy and training workshops, as well as recruitment campaigns in person and online.

Mr Burke said: “It is imperative that we achieve a more gender-balanced political system, and the Programme for Government commits to bringing forward meaningful measures to address the deficit of women involved in both Local Government and the Oireachtas.

"I want to see our council chambers reflecting society at large and, at present, we are failing in this objective.

"While I have approved significant funding to Women for Election and other interest groups since I have come to office, research has shown that it is important to support political parties and independent representative groups as these will be key players in getting more women on to our local election ballot papers."

Mr Burke said he is also progressing the provision of maternity leave for councillors and is currently working closely with the Attorney General’s Office on this matter.