Remote meetings of Council is a positive move towards inclusion and a greener way to do politics

Cllr Maria Dollard welcomes the introduction of remote meetings allowing Councillors to contribute and vote as if they were physically present and for members of the public to have remote access also. 

Following today’s remote meeting of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr Dollard said “This is a very positive step forward for democracy and inclusion. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced a move to remote working and in many ways has opened the door for more flexible and accessible workings of local democracy. I believe this move should go beyond the pandemic.”

Maria believes that the move to remote meetings will encourage more women into local politics. “While gender roles are changing, it is still women who generally juggle care of young children with their professional lives. I have spoken to other councillors around the country, young mothers who returned to council meetings 2 weeks following giving birth; it is no wonder many young women are put off a role in politics.” Following recent legislation, every councillor can now request to attend meetings remotely if they need to and their attendance and vote is as valid as if they were physically in the meeting room.

“As a family carer and until recently juggling a fulltime job, I found remote meetings a real and tangible help when trying to balance competing demands. Currently, County Councillors are not entitled to maternity leave and while the campaign to change this continues, at least remote meetings will lessen the burden a small bit for the elected members around the country caring for new born babies.”

Similarly, people with disabilities who may experience challenges accessing public transport or indeed the council chamber itself may now request to engage remotely. Currently, wheelchair users cannot access The Tholsol chamber independently due to the lack of a lift.

Maria continues “I look forward to the day when the first physically disabled person is elected here to Kilkenny Council and more women of course. I am the only woman representing the City and one of only four representing the people of the entire county.”

Maria points to the cost savings of remote meetings as it should reduce the mileage claims of representatives, with air quality and traffic benefits also. “I see it as increasing transparency in our democracy,” says Maria,” and I particularly welcome the fact that members of the public will continue to have access to meetings and can request such access by contacting Kilkenny County Council’s meetings administrator, Anne Maria Walsh at annamaria.walsh@kilkennycoco.ie 



“I firmly believe that the time has come to live stream meetings as they have done in four other local authorities,” concludes Maria “We can easily see our TD’s doing their work in the Dail but we cannot see our local County Councillors. It would be a simple thing to introduce and would go a long way to fostering transparency and trust in local government. The technology is there so lets move with the times.”