Maternity Leave For Wicklow Councillors

Feels on wheels

atest press release from Cllr Lourda Scott, issued on Tuesday, June 28th 2022…

Cllr Lourda Scott, Chair of the Wicklow Women’s Councillors Caucus, today welcomed cabinet approval to draft a general scheme which will allow for the provision of maternity leave to councillors across the country.

The scheme offers the choice to appoint an individual as a temporary substitute in the place a councillor who takes a period of maternity-related absence or is absent due to illness. The substitute would have the ability to vote on behalf of the councillor, represent them at all meetings, in all aspects of the role for the 26-week maternity leave period.

Cllr Scott stated: “In Wicklow County Council only twelve out of thirty two elected representatives are women and of councillors nationally just 23% are women. This scheme will allow for the increased participation of women in local government, which will have a positive knock-on effect for politics at large.

“An equal Ireland for every woman can only be achieved when we have women’s voices from all backgrounds at the highest offices in local government and beyond. This scheme is an important step in removing one of the barriers that currently prevents this from happening.”

There is alternative administrative support option if a councillor does not wish to elect a substitute in their place. In this case, councillors will be given funding for additional administrative assistance for the entirety of their maternity leave.

Following the approval at cabinet today, the draft legislation will be prepared and will pass through the Oireachtas in the near future.