Concern after harassment of up to 70 female councillors

The Association of Irish Local Government (AILG) has voiced serious concern following reports of harassment targeting up to 70 female councillors across the country. The organization revealed that elected members from various political parties have been subjected to repeated telephone calls containing disturbing and inappropriate sexual comments.

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Our message has been to advise and prioritise the safety of our female members, tell them to exercise caution with withheld numbers.

Elaine Lynch, Head of Operations at AILG, stated that the first reports emerged about a week prior and have increased in recent days. The calls, often originating from private or withheld numbers, have been reported to the Gardaí. Notably, no male councillors have reported receiving similar calls, suggesting a targeted pattern. "What's particularly concerning to us is that the reports have come from different local authorities and political parties and that suggests to us that women are being specifically targeted here," Lynch said.

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What's particularly concerning to us is that the reports have come from different local authorities and political parties and that suggests to us that women are being specifically targeted here.

In one particularly alarming instance, a female councillor received 16 calls within an hour after answering an initial call. The AILG is advising its members to prioritize their safety by exercising caution with withheld numbers, avoiding engagement with callers, and meticulously recording details of any incidents. These details are to be reported to their local Garda liaison officer.

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Our message has been to advise and prioritise the safety of our female members, tell them to exercise caution with withheld numbers. We're telling them not to engage with callers, to try and not answer any private or withheld numbers and to obviously record details of any incidents, particularly the time log and report them to their local garda liaison officer.

The AILG has decided to go public with the issue to ensure that women councillors know they are not alone and to condemn the behavior as a "direct attack on our local democracy and specifically on our women in our local government system." Lynch noted a "pattern" to the calls, indicating they likely stem from a single individual who provides a specific name when the call is answered, with the comments being of a "sexual nature, very disturbing comments if the telephone call is answered."

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it's important for us to know that women councillors, they are not facing this alone, and to just call it out for what it is, which is a direct attack on our local democracy and specifically on our women in our local government system, which is just not acceptable.