Barriers still exist for women entering politics according to one local councillor.
Monaghan Councillor Cathy Bennett says childminding is one of the main issues that prevents women putting their name forward for election.
The local Sinn Fein Councillor believes we need a 50/50 representation from women at local council level.
Currently there are two women elected as councillors in Monaghan and 16 are men. Cllr Cathy Bennett says it's a work life balance that has kept her in politics for the past ten years.
On a national level between 2004 and 2019, there were about four times as many men as women in Local Government seats with very little change over that period. 20.2 per cent of Local Government seats were taken by women in 2004, decreasing to 17.3 per cent in 2009 and then increasing to 20.1 per cent in 2014 and then 23.9 per cent in 2019
