Online abuse, a lack of practical supports and a sense that the work of councillors is not valued all contributed to the slow growth in the number of women who ran and secured seats in the recent local elections, according to research to be published on Tuesday.
Research commissioned by the National Women’s Council of Ireland and compiled by Maynooth-based researchers Pauline Cullen and Claire McGing found the level of female participation and representation continued to grow in the elections.
However, when co-options since 2019 are factored in, there was only one more female councillor across the country after the elections than there had been going into them.
In all, 677 women ran for election, with 247 securing seats.
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Numbers had doubled between 1991 and the previous elections, in 2019, it says, and further progress was witnessed on this occasion, with the percentage of female candidates up from 28 per cent to 31 per cent and the percentage of females among the total elected up from 24 to 26.
However, those numbers continue to compare unfavourably with local and municipal bodies across Europe, where the average is 35 per cent.
The report, which is based on a mix of data and a survey of female candidates, is critical of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, in particular, for running too few female candidates.
The situation is improving, the authors acknowledge, but far too slowly, and they argue that practical supports such as increased pay, provision of creche facilities and greater secretarial/administrative backing are required.
“We also see those lower retention rates for women because online abuse remains an issue, as does the lack of status associated with council work, and the challenges it presents for work/life balance. Factors like these are working in tandem to ensure the dial is not moving as quickly as you would like to see,” Dr McGing said.
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