Tipperary cathaoirleach among just nine women leading Ireland’s local councils
Tipperary County Council’s newest cathaoirleach Cllr Fiona Bonfield is in the minority nationwide as new figures have shown that the majority of first citizen seats have gone to men.
The Labour Party councillor is one of just nine women appointed cathaoirleach or mayor across Ireland’s 31 local authorities.
Nationally, 70pc of first citizen seats have gone to men this year.
Across Tipperary, just two of the five district chair seats have gone to women, with Fianna Fáil’s Siobhán Ambrose being elected as the Mayor of Clonmel, while Fine Gael’s Marie Murphy has been made chair of the Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel Municipal District.
All six leas-cathaoirleach positions across the county council and five municipal districts were filled by men for the coming 12 months.
Chairperson Michelle Maher of lobby group See Her Elected said the figures highlight the continuing under-representation of women in local political leadership
“I want to congratulate each of these women on becoming cathaoirleach. Every time a woman takes the chair, she helps redefine what political leadership looks like.
“For too long, visitors entering many council chambers have been greeted by walls lined with portraits of former cathaoirligh that are almost exclusively male. Today’s women leaders are ensuring that future generations will see a more representative story of local democracy,” Ms Maher said.
See Her Elected says that the lack of women in the top positions within local democracy reflects decisions made by political parties as far back as the 2024 local elections.
“The small number of women elected as council chairs is not simply the result of this year’s internal votes. It reflects candidate selection and support decisions made before the 2024 local elections, when fewer than 30pc of candidates fielded by the two largest local government parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, were women.
“A limited pipeline of women councillors inevitably reduces the pool from which parties can nominate for leadership positions,” Ms Maher added.
With three years until the next local elections, Ms Maher said that political parties have the opportunity now to change the scene.
“That work begins now by recruiting more women into party branches, supporting them as local area representatives, and ensuring they receive the encouragement, mentoring and backing needed to succeed at selection conventions,” she said.
See Her Elected is a programme supporting women in rural Ireland to become candidates in local elections. The programme aims to increase female representation in local government and ensure women from diverse backgrounds have a voice in political decision-making.