Over 100 female councillors from across Ireland gathered in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary recently for the first-ever national meeting of the Women’s Regional Caucus Network, marking a significant milestone for local government and women’s participation in politics.

Currently, women hold just 26% of county council seats across Ireland, with particularly low representation in many rural counties. The Women’s Regional Caucus Network aims to address this gender imbalance by providing a structured, member-led platform for collaboration, peer support, and leadership development.

Led by the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG), the new national network is designed to support female councillors to remain in politics, progress into leadership roles, and strengthen their collective influence on policy and decision-making.

The Regional Women’s Caucus Network builds on a successful pilot project which was a collaborative initiative between the AILG and SHE (See Her Elected) and is now open to the full 255 elected female councillors across the country. The pilot demonstrated the value of cross-county and cross-party collaboration in supporting women to navigate the demands of public life and to influence key policy areas.

Former AILG President Cllr Mary Hoade, who spearheaded the pilot regional caucus model in 2021, pictured with current AILG President Cllr Mary Hanna Hourigan at the launch in Nenagh on 29 April.

AILG President Cllr. Mary Hanna Hourigan said the event marked 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, added: “This is about moving the conversation from getting women into politics to keeping women in politics. 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 & Western, Eastern & Midland, and Southern—with a combination of in-person and hybrid engagement to support participation. It will also provide access to national training, mentoring, and leadership development opportunities.

Importantly, the network is designed to complement existing local authority structures, with insights and learning feeding back into council decision-making processes, ensuring broader impact across the local government system.

AILG’s Tommy Moylan and President Mary Hanna Hourigan pictured with female councillors at the launch, which was held in Tipperary County Council’s Civic Office in Nenagh on 29 April.

The initiative has received support at national level, with a commitment in the Programme for Government (2025) to support the rollout of the Women’s Regional Caucus Network. The meeting in Nengah at the end of April has marked the beginning of the next phase of the initiative, with female councillors working together to shape priorities and programme of work for the network going forward.