Easing access to leave levels up the political playing field

In March 2019, just weeks out from the Local Election, Niamh Byrne announced she was quitting politics. Other first-term councillors had already pulled out of the race for re-election but her withdrawal was still a bombshell.

Niamh (pictured) was once touted as a possible Dáil candidate in Galway West and future minister; and thejournal.ie ranked her fourth in a list of 30 ‘hottest young politicos in Ireland’ in 2015. But despite the potential bright future, the former Fine Gael Councillor left local politics after just one term on Galway County Council.

She cited difficulties combining work as a teacher in St. Mary’s in the city with her role representing the people of Connemara; as well as the ‘childish’ antics of some colleagues in the Council chamber.

At the time it sparked wider debate about young people’s participation in politics, particularly young women.

This month the Government announced a new scheme that gives maternity and sick pay to councillors.

Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning, Peter Burke got Cabinet approval to legislate for supports enjoyed by other workers.

Under the plan, councillors will be allowed to nominate a substitute person to fill in for them while on maternity leave. This would apply for all votes, all meetings and all elements of the role.

“I was aware of situations where councillors felt pressure to turn up to important votes or debates, when they needed to be at home caring for a new baby,” Minister Burke said.

“It is not credible maternity leave if you cannot fully switch off from your work,” he added.

As an alternative to a substitute, the legislation allows councillors additional funding for administrative support during maternity leave.

“This will mean they can pay someone on a weekly basis to assist with secretarial work,” Minister Burke said.

Galway women were to the fore in pushing for this legislation – not least County Councillor Mary Hoade (FF). She was President of the Association of Irish Local Government when it published groundbreaking maternity proposals last year. These fed into Minister Burke’s recommendations.

“Up to now, if you were a councillor, and you needed maternity leave, you needed to ask your colleagues for time off,” explained Cllr Hoade.

“In this day and age, it’s ridiculous that you’d have to seek permission for maternity leave. It seriously affected retention of councillors, and particularly younger female councillors.

“It’s important we recognise this now, with two years to go to an election. Minister Helen McEntee took her maternity, and rightly so. Every other job gives maternity leave. There has to be something to facilitate councillors to do that. Hopefully, it will address the fall-off and retention of younger female members,” added Cllr Hoade.

This is a shortened preview of this article. To read it in full, see the July 15 edition of the Connacht Tribune. You can purchase a digital edition HERE.