New caucus can close gap between women leading communities and running for election, says Wicklow councillor
The Wicklow PeopleGreystones Cathaoirleach Cllr Lourda Scott has welcomed the establishment of Ireland’s first National Women’s Councillors Caucus, describing it as a long‑overdue step toward addressing the persistent underrepresentation of women in local government.
The inaugural meeting of the new national network took place in Nenagh, County Tipperary last month, bringing together female councillors from across the country for what organisers called a “significant milestone” in women’s political participation.
The network, led jointly by the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG) and advocacy group See Her Elected (SHE), aims to encourage more women to run for office and support those already elected to remain, progress, and influence decision‑making at local and national levels.
Despite years of commitments to improve gender balance, women currently hold just 26pc of council seats nationwide, with representation particularly low in rural counties.
The new caucus is intended to provide a structured, member‑led platform for collaboration, peer support, and leadership development, building on a pilot project run by AILG and SHE in recent years.
For Cllr Scott, the event underscored a problem that has shaped Wicklow politics for decades. The county has historically struggled with gender balance, with women consistently under-represented on Wicklow County Council since its formation. Even during periods of national progress, Wicklow lagged behind. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the council often had only two or three women elected at any one time.
The 2014 local elections were hailed as a breakthrough nationally, but Wicklow still returned a predominantly male council. The 2019 elections brought some improvement, but the county remains far below parity, with only nine women among its 32 councillors today.
The Wicklow Municipal District has no female councillor at all, and since 2022 four women who resigned their seats were each replaced by men. During the same period, a male councillor elected to the Dáil in 2024 was also replaced by a man.
If women don’t see themselves represented, they’re less likely to run. If they don’t run, the system stays the same
Wicklow’s representation in the Dáil has followed a similar pattern, with women consistently underrepresented despite periods of national progress. While the county has elected notable female TDs over the years, including figures who held senior roles in government, the overall trend has remained uneven. In several election cycles, Wicklow returned all‑male delegations, and even in more recent years the balance has fluctuated rather than steadily improving.
Cllr Scott said these patterns illustrate the urgency of the national initiative.
“When I ran for election, I didn’t see enough women in local or national politics. That hasn’t changed as much as it should have,” she said following the recent caucus meeting.
“In Wicklow County Council only nine out of 32 councillors are women. In the Wicklow Municipal District there is no female councillor elected. That does not reflect the communities we represent. This under-representation is more common in rural locations, and we need to see this change. If decision‑making bodies don’t reflect the population, then we have to ask who is missing from those conversations and why that is.”
Cllr Scott said the caucus model was developed in response to structural barriers that continue to limit women’s participation in political life.
“We know the barriers are real, whether it’s the demands of the role, lack of support, or how political life is structured. The caucus was about creating practical supports and also showing that women can work together across party lines.”
She also highlighted the importance of visibility ahead of the next local elections, now just over 36 months away, arguing that the gap between women’s community involvement and their political representation remains stark.
“There’s still a huge gap between the number of women I meet every day who are active in their communities and the number who put themselves forward for election. That needs to change. If women don’t see themselves represented, they’re less likely to run. If they don’t run, the system stays the same.”
Wicklow, she said, has experienced a particularly worrying trend in recent years.
“Since 2022, four women resigned their seats and were all replaced by men. This lack of diversity is not acceptable. Greater diversity around the table leads to better decision‑making and benefits the whole community. Women are stepping up and working to address this, but political parties must also recognise this and take responsibility.”
At the national meeting in Nenagh, AILG President Cllr Mary Hanna Hourigan said the launch of the network marked a turning point.
AILG president Mary Hanna Hourigan. Photo: AILG/Facebook
“This marks a significant moment for local government in Ireland. This is the first time female councillors from across the country have come together on a national basis. We know that increasing representation is only part of the challenge, supporting women to stay, lead and thrive in politics is just as important. This network is about building that support and strengthening local government as a whole.”
Elaine Lynch, head of operations with AILG, said the initiative reflects a shift in how women’s political participation is understood.
“This is about moving the conversation from getting women into politics to keeping women in politics,” she said.
“The Women’s Regional Caucus Network builds on a proven model and creates a national platform that is member‑led, practical and focused on real outcomes. It is about designing a system that works for women, rather than asking women to fit into structures that were never designed for them.”
The network will operate across three regional caucuses; Northern and Western, Eastern and Midland, and Southern, with a mix of in‑person and hybrid meetings to support participation. Members will have access to national training, mentoring, and leadership development programmes. The structure is designed to complement existing local authority systems, with insights and learning feeding back into council decision‑making processes to ensure broader impact.
The initiative has also received national political backing, with a commitment in the Programme for Government to support the rollout of the Women’s Regional Caucus Network. Organisers say the next phase will involve councillors shaping the priorities and programme of work for the network, ensuring it reflects the lived experience of women in local government.
For Cllr Scott, the national rollout represents the culmination of years of advocacy.
“I have been calling for an expansion for a national women’s caucus for many years now and I am delighted that AILG have taken the lead on this,” she said. “I look forward to supporting this new venture and working with them over the coming years.”
She said the Wicklow caucus has already demonstrated the value of structured collaboration, pointing to recent engagement with traveller women in the county as an example of how diverse voices can be brought into political conversations. The national network, she said, has the potential to amplify that work and ensure that women’s perspectives are embedded more firmly in local government structures.
As the country prepares for the next cycle of local elections, Cllr Scott said the new caucus offers a timely opportunity to address long‑standing imbalances.
“Women are active, engaged and leading in their communities every day. The challenge now is to make sure that is reflected in our councils. This network is a step toward making that happen.”
The caucus meeting, attended by councillors from all regions, marks the beginning of what organisers hope will become a more permanent feature of Ireland’s political landscape.