John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Senator is right. I was a councillor 20 years ago and it was a very different world. She has asked a lot of questions and I have noted as many as I could. She should put these matters in a submission to Ms Sara Moorhead. There are issues that are under consideration, such as the maternity leave issue. There is a local government Bill coming up and we might make a small adjustment to the Bill.

On the gender quota issue, I intend to submit a proposal to the Government. The status of gender quotas for general elections is a stick approach rather than a carrot approach. By that I mean that any political party that does not reach the 30% quota, which will ultimately increase to 40%, will have its State funding cut in half. We do not have that stick approach for local elections because the funding of political parties will always depend on the vote that they get in a general election. That situation will not change and should not change. That is not to say that there cannot be an incentive scheme. Many political parties, or maybe all of them, have a gender equality or diversity officer. Perhaps some contribution can be made towards the cost of that role if political parties reach the 30% quota in this election, which will increase to a quota of 40%. I am working on the issue at present. Progress will take some time. I am only expressing my preliminary thoughts today. Local elections are vitally important to political parties because if they want to reach the quota targets for Dáil elections then local elections are a training or breeding ground for a lot of people who end up running for Dáil elections. Therefore, the parties would be foolish not to reach the quotas themselves.

In terms of the interaction that Senators have with councillors, a review of this nature has never before been conducted in the history of this State, and even before the State was formed, as to what councillors do, what we want them to do and how we want them to be paid. The outcome that I want at the end of the review, which is the same as what Senator O'Sullivan has just touched on, is to link councillors' pay to a grade in the public sector. Also, no politicians in the future will decide the matter, and it will not be decided by anyone here or the people who will come after us, but as part of public sector pay deals. That is what most councillors would prefer. That aspect is one of the primary purposes for the current review.

I am familiar with a councillor, and it is probably the same person, who has encountered social welfare issues. Councillors do not pay the correct stamp to get the PRSI benefits but that is not right. That is why linking councillors' pay to a grade in the public service is so important. I am sure that there will be a battle about the matter when the time comes and I look forward to enjoying the support of the committee when that happens.

The municipal allowance is payable in Dublin. The term "area committees" is used rather than "municipal districts".

The reason there are no municipal districts for the large urban areas is that while it makes sense in large geographical rural areas to divide local authority areas, it is often the case that it could lead in an urban centre to unnecessary duplication. Where that geographical spread is not an issue, it can be easier to provide services from central local government. That municipal allowance is payable, however.