The National Women's Council of Ireland, which is chaired by Longford woman Louise Lovett has launched a research report today on women in politics to kick off its International Women's Week which begins today.
The report is calling for local and regional women's caucuses to be established for local government in Ireland, as a real starting block for the building of a better gender balance in politics at a local and national level.
The report says these cross-party groupings can make a major difference in helping attract women into political life and keeping them there.
Louise Lovett says the system, which already exists at national parliament level, has been very useful in allowing women to work in a collaborative way, while still respecting party or individual beliefs…