Move to encourage more Offaly women to enter politics

RECENTLY Offaly County Council received funding of €7,250 towards increasing the number of female and diverse candidates and councillors running in the Local Elections in 2024.

According to local Green party councillor Mark Hackett nowhere is this more necessary than Offaly.

He thundered: “We are bottom of the national table with just one woman councillor out of 19 and no representation of people from diverse or minority backgrounds.”

Continued Cllr Hackett: “I am well aware it makes my male colleague councillors squirm in their chairs when I say it but we must make room for women. It is not true to say that local elections are a fair race, there are many obstacles to overcome for women to even get their name on the ballot paper. These are obstacles that men place because traditionally we have had that privilege.”

He said that In the last local election Pippa Hackett and Claire Claffey overcame those obstacles.

“We need to support more women and people of diversity to do the same. Yes, I am a man, no I can’t speak from a women’s perspective – I would prefer not having to try but at present, in Offaly Council Chamber, there is little choice.”

He concluded: “As Chair of Green Party Laois and Offaly I am actively encouraging women into roles as Locally Elected Reps and then, hopefully, candidates. The Green Party has strong policy on running equal numbers of men and women – other parties need to step up and do the same.”