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THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS to address the lack of women represented at management level in local authorities across the country, according to Fianna Fáil.
Just under three in 10 Chief Executive (28%) and Director of Services (26%) roles nationally are held by women.
There are no female Chief Executives in councils in Connacht, but Leinster, excluding Dublin, has the lowest percentage (21%) of women in senior positions at local government level.
Women hold 15 of the 58 senior positions in Munster (26%) and nine out of 31 in Connacht (29%).
Dublin has the most balanced management teams, with 48% female representation. This includes the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, where seven out of nine Directors of Services are female and the Chief Executive is also a woman.
The figures were released to Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy in response to a parliamentary question.
Troy said women are “significantly underrepresented” at local government managerial level nationwide, something that “speaks volumes about the priority being placed by the government to ensure real gender equality in positions of authority across Ireland”.
‘Lead by example’
Troy said it’s “surprising” that the Government “speaks out nationally about fighting for equality but yet ignores the fact that, under their watch, the gender imbalance of managers and directors within our County Councils sits at 28%/72%”.
“There should be no reason for such low numbers as hundreds of extremely capable women work in our City and County Councils, so it is not a question of talent or resources,” he added, calling on the government “to lead by example if they truly want to effect change”.
When asked about the figures, a spokesperson for the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government said: “All permanent senior management positions with the Local Government sector are recruited through the Public Appointments Service.
While there is no specific gender quota policy in relation to the recruitment of senior management positions with the Local Government sector, PAS is committed to raising awareness, encouraging people to apply, and reaching out to diverse audiences to ensure that our public and civil service and State boards are reflective of the society they serve.
Gender quotas
Political parties can lose State funding if they don’t reach a minimum threshold of female candidates. Currently, at least 30% of a party’s candidates in general elections must be women. This will rise to 40% in 2023.
The government plans to roll out a scheme that will give parties additional funding to hire a diversity and equality officer if they run at least 30% female candidates in next year’s local elections.
Fine Gael has 11 female TDs and 38 male TDs, and Fianna Fáil has six female TDs and 39 male TDs. There are currently four female ministers (three Fine Gael and one independent) and three junior ministers (all Fine Gael) in Cabinet.
Earlier this month, Minister with responsibility for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor announced plans to create 45 female-only senior academic roles within the higher education sector over the next three years.
The move is part of a wider plan which aims to increase the level of female representation in third-level education.
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Too much paperwork. This only adds to the burnout that many child protection workers face. The job of a social worker has become too administrative and less front line
@Alison Maguire: Do you think its the front line(visiting dysfunctional homes were there’s child abuse) or the admin element that causes turnover in staff ……
@Murr Paul: the frontline also deal with a lot of admin
I believe there is room for all, please note that some of the private agencies are social enterprises that re-investing the children in their care.
As a country though we need to really start investing in support of vulnerable families from pregnancy, good preschools good family support. Our legislation also needs a complete overhaul with a much stronger emphasis on what’s in a child’s best interest not the parents. A child in foster care can at any time be returned to the birth parents, how can a child fully commit to a new family if they are aware of this.
@Anne Kearney: A child in foster care can at any time be returned to the birth parents, how can a child fully commit to a new family if they are aware of this.
A child will always want to return to their parents as when turned 18 kick out by foster families regardless.
@Murr Paul: a significant number of foster carers would and do keep the child in their care after the age of 18. I feel some of the issue is the after care work that goes on from 15 or 16 preparing for independence can instill a fear in the child so there is increased acting out that causes the placement to break down. I reject you before you reject me. A lot of children during access are told that they can go home also the foster carers in their own eyes is only temporary. We need to be able to make a home more permanent for some children and carers.
Why do they try and privatise everything???
Never has a good outcome
In no way am I comparing a Child to a dog here but look what’s happened with privatization re Ashton Dog Pound. Neglect, Abuse, and power pulling where everyone in Dublin is in fear of calling for the dog warden.
@Margaret Doyle: You don’t want to compare the two, and yet you do.
€325 not much to cover all the costs involved with children who have been neglected. The government trying to do all the really important stuff on the Cheap again.
@Alan Kelly: what costs do they have more then any other child? They also receive child benefit, social welfare CDA increases etc. I know cases were they claimed the foster children were disabled to get carers allowance, care grant and domicile care allowance all untaxed. A right little money earner.
@Murr Paul: you cannot just CLAIM someone is disabled!!
Do you know the trauma these kids have been through? Do you know the time that goes into making sure all the needs of these kids at met?
@Murr Paul: would you work 24/7 for 1.93 euro an hour and take the child’s expenses out of that too.
@Murr Paul: What is wrong with you? The state is neglecting and allowing lifelong damage to occur to children. They are pouring money into private companies and you point to a baseless, imaginary problem of welfare fraud. Do you think that so you can feel better or are you just bitter or thick or both?
@Alan Kelly: Making foster caring financially too appetizing is far too dangerous. It attracts the worst of people, to the detriment of these especially vulnerable children. Of course low income families with the right intentions shouldn’t be excluded from fostering simply because they can’t afford it. But that’s why the system allows for specific expenses for the particular foster child in question (with receipts and review process with regards to expenses etc). But just a nice lump sum lodged into your account with no questions asked every month will end up attracting too much interest for all the wrong reasons.
The cost factor here must be quantified, the cost given of €1,000 in a private placement includes other support. It includes the cost of social work support available 24 hours a day 7 days a week not currently provided by Tusla. The private fostering agencies also provide support services such as educational supports child care workers etc.
The private agencies also may be asked to locate careers for children with a complex level of care needs.
have your say