Councillor John Kennedy:

I will respond to a point that Deputy Catherine Murphy raised earlier by referring to the example of my own county, Tipperary, where North Tipperary County Council and South Tipperary County Council are being amalgamated. The county currently has seven town councils, with four in the south and three in the north, and 47 county councillors. We will go from 113 councillors to 40 councillors for the entire county. As somebody who sits on both Thurles Town Council and North Tipperary County Council, I will find it extremely difficult to manage the demands that will arise in the areas I have to cover. I have a young family of two children and a mortgage to pay. I am similar to many councillors across the country. I do not know how young people coming into the system will be able to juggle council responsibilities with their jobs and families. It is a demanding job at present but the demands are set to increase. I acknowledge that we have put ourselves forward for the job and I am glad I have done so. This needs to be considered in the context of local authority boundaries and the areas we will have to cover. Tipperary is no different from any other county or city. Demands will be greater and supports will have to be put in place for councillors to make their lives a bit easier, particularly in respect of young people coming into the system. From my experience as a town councillor and county councillor, the demands from a town are greater than those from a county. One is at the coalface and cannot go shopping or socialising without encountering issues.