Inside Thrive: Enterprise, Food & MeathMade – Attracting New Investment and Supporting Local Business in the Royal County

The work of Meath’s Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) is explored with a particular focus on domestic violence. Based in the headquarters of Meath County Council, Meath LCSP co-ordinator Gemma Ryan explains what it does, its priorities and why it is involved in an inter-agency conference on domestic violence being held in Navan this month. Joining the discussion is Frances Haworth, CEO Willow Domestic Abuse Services and Claudia Hegarty, Project Leader, Zero Tolerance Meath, a project by Willow. The theme of collaboration continues including how everyone in the community can play a role in combatting domestic, sexual and gender based violence. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT - Replacing joint policing committees with local community safety partnerships. - Defining the key goals of the local safety plan. - Examining the wide scope of Willow domestic abuse services. - Understanding the economic and social costs of gender violence. - Mobilising local residents through the zero tolerance project. QUOTES - No single agency can address complex social issues. - Gemma Ryan - The language we use matters because it reflects and reinforces our own values or beliefs and social norms. - Claudia Hegarty - We have to recognise it as a whole of community, whole of society problem, and then work together to ensure victims feel safe in coming forward for help and are met with that coordinated response. - Frances Haworth MORE INFORMATION Local government affects almost every aspect of our daily lives, yet many remain unsure how decisions are actually made. We dive into the delivery of over one thousand services and the vital role of your elected representatives. Discover how local democracy functions behind the scenes in Meath. Listen to the full episode. Search “Local Lens” on your podcast app now. Visit our website; meath.ie This podcast was produced by dustpod.io KEYWORDS #CommunitySafetyDomesticAbuse #LocalCommunitySafetyPartnership #ZeroToleranceMeath #WillowDomesticAbuseServices

Meath County Council’s longest serving councillor, Brian Fitzgerald, and it’s first black female councillor, Yemi Adenuga, join gender and politics researcher Claire McGing to look at participation and representation in local government. Claire wrote, ‘Women Beyond the Dail: Access, Representation & Retention in Irish Local Government’ with Pauline Cullen, Professor of Sociology at Maynooth University. The episode discusses how Meath County Council has changed since the 1980s, the obstacles to increasing participation by women in local politics, the different experiences women can face as candidates and after election, and what the contributors think would encourage more women to get involved in local democracy. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Forty years of local political evolution in Meath. The role of women in challenging political status quo. Why gender quotas are controversial yet potentially effective tools. Intersectional barriers for migrant and diverse candidates. Strategies to encourage participation through community level action. QUOTES I think they are probably, from a family perspective, I think women are bringing forward issues that maybe men would not do, and I think that is very important. - Brian Fitzgerald It is an attempt to silence women. It is a form of backlash to their participation in public life, and it is a real threat to democracy. - Claire McGing Representation is powerful by every standard. When people see that somebody who looks like them is there, issues that ordinarily would not have been raised will be raised for people. - Yemi Adenuga KEYWORDS #DiversityInLocalGovernment#WomenInIrishPolitics#LocalDemocracyParticipation#MigrantPoliticalRepresentation

July sees the start of Ireland’s six month term holding the Presidency of the European Union. In advance of a particularly busy time for her Department, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Meath TD Helen McEntee, recorded a special interview about the EU Presidency with Local Lens.

Celebrating the Boyne Valley in the context of tourism, heritage and the related drivers of economic growth and jobs in county Meath, are discussed in this month’s episode.

The future of Meath’s civil society hinges on the participation and democratic investment of its younger citizens. The engine of our society—Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012—has often struggled to make the crucial connection between voting and the decisions that directly impact their lives. With almost 70% of unregistered voters under the age of 34, there is a significant push to ensure every eligible young voice is heard. This episode dives into the national perspective on engaging with this vital demographic, detailing efforts to modernize the electoral register and combat misinformation. We explore how digital platforms like TikTok are being used to reach future voters and highlight the local work happening to nurture young democratic interest. Joining host Elaine Keogh are Art O’Leary, the Chief Executive at the Electoral Commission, and the Meath County Council register of electors team members Sheila Sheridan and Sharon McElroy, who detail how young people are actively shaping their county. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Engaging Gen Z and the voting challenge Digital engagement and pre-registration push Combating electoral misinformation globally Meath register team's role and data cleansing Comhairle na nÓg's right to switch off QUOTES We want everybody who's eligible to vote to be on the electoral register. - Art O'Leary People need to inform the registration authority about these changes... each person is responsible to ensure that they're registered to vote and that their information is up to date. - Sheila Sheridan If we write to you inviting you to verify your registration details, please don't ignore this request, as you risk being removed from the register… - Sharon McElroy KEYWORDS #YouthEngagement #VotingRights #ElectoralIntegrity #MeathDemocracy #RegisterCheck MORE INFORMATION Local government affects almost every aspect of our daily lives, yet many remain unsure how decisions are actually made. We dive into the delivery of over one thousand services and the vital role of your elected representatives. Discover how local democracy functions behind the scenes in Meath. Listen to the full episode. Search “Local Lens” on your podcast app now. Visit our website; meath.ie This podcast was produced by dustpod.io