Supports have improved for women in politics but there is more to do

To keep women in local politics, we need to build a sustainable working environment that enables current and future female councillors to participate, lead, influence, and remain in public life

For many women, their decision to stay in politics is increasingly influenced by whether the working environment is sustainable in the long term.

Let’s talk about women in politics. More specifically, let’s talk about keeping women in politics. Currently, women hold just 26% of county council seats, with stark underrepresentation in many counties, particularly in rural areas.

As the national representative body for the 950 elected councillors across Ireland, the AILG (Association of Irish Local Government) is acutely aware of both the challenges and opportunities in retaining women in our local government system.