Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 90:

In page 62, lines 22 to 24, to delete all words from and including “providing” in line 22 down to and including “allowances)” in line 24 and substitute the following:

“providing for a reduction in remuneration or any allowances for expenses (including the amount of such reduction expressed as a percentage of specified remuneration or allowances for expenses, as the case may be)”.

The purpose of the amendment is to provide for a commonality of approach in the reductions in expenses to include remuneration also should the, hopefully unlikely, necessity arise where a member fails to comply with regulations on attendance at training provided for councillors. Better training for elected members will be necessary to ensure they have the skills and expertise to better discharge their enhanced policy development role and their greater role in the oversight of delivery of policy. The amendment will complete the provision to reduce expenses in the event of a member not attending training, if required in the regulations, to include the option for a reduction in remuneration, such as the representational payment. The ACC and AMAI view the provision of better training for councillors as important for the new intake of councillors in June 2014 and I agree with them. Once the structured training and development programme is agreed with the amalgamated association, I will be disappointed if elected members fail to attend. This amendment, which provides for reductions of expenses and remuneration, will act as a financial incentive to ensure attendance.