Level of female and minority representation on council criticised

Athlone councillor Louise Heavin said there was a pressing need for "more women and more diversity in the council chamber" after two prospective female candidates failed to secure enough support to contest the vacancy created by the resignation of Cllr Jamie Moran.

Cllr Heavin is the only female representative on the nine-member Athlone Moate Municipal District, and is one of four women on the 20-seat county council.

She recently approached Irena Djak Cvetkovic, the manager of Athlone Community Radio, and asked her to consider contesting the council vacancy.

The Serbian native agreed but was unable to secure the six councillor nominations required to contest the vacancy, having received the support of just the two Green Party members, Cllr Heavin and Cllr Hazel Smyth.

Sarah Seoige, an Athlone native, and secondary school teacher at Athlone Community College, was nominated for the vacancy by Fianna Fail's Cllr Frankie Keena, but was also unable to secure the support of six councillors ahead of the deadline for nominations last Monday evening.

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent on Monday, Cllr Heavin felt other councillors weren't placing enough emphasis on female and minority representation, and this was "very annoying and upsetting."

"I thought Irena would be an ideal person to have as a councillor. Hazel Smyth agreed with me, but unfortunately we couldn't get four others to agree with us."

She said the fact that she was the only female on the Athlone Moate Municipal District was not acceptable.

"There are a lot of things that you need a background in to really and truly understand. You can see, with the killing of Ashling Murphy, that women have come out and have been very upset about it.

"They've spoken against gender-based violence and spoken about how women should feel safe walking and cycling and running. Sometimes you need somebody in that position to give that perspective. So that's why I think it's really important that we do have more women.

"It's the same for people of minority backgrounds. We have a lot of people in the migrant community in Athlone and Moate. Yes, I can try to be their voice, but the reality is that it would be far better if we had a person from a migrant background in the council chamber.

"We should try to be a more cross-society council. That should be our aim and our ambition," she stated.

"We should try to get to 50% female representation, because it makes a big difference when you have women in leadership positions. The community can look to women, and women are seen to have a strong voice and to be respected on the same level as men. That's important."

In a statement on Monday evening Cllr Frankie Keena, who had nominated Sarah Seoige for the council vacancy, said it was "disappointing" that the two females put forward for the vacancy "did not receive any credible consideration" from the majority of councillors.

Cllr Keena added that there was a "serious problem in this country" in achieving sufficient female political representation.

"The job can be demanding on family life, where family hours have to be surrendered in order to provide a political service at local and indeed national levels," he stated.

"I do feel that experience is a huge bonus in local politics, but we have an obligation to encourage others to come forward and contest elections.

"Sarah (Seoige) was so excited about getting such an opportunity despite knowing how difficult the job of getting a nomination had become. I am genuinely very disappointed that she was not given a chance - perhaps the local elections in 2024 will be her opportunity," said Cllr Keena.