Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and his team to the meeting. I also welcome the councillors, the representatives of the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, and the Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA, who are in the Public Gallery and those who have tuned in to watch proceedings. I assure the Minister of State that many people are tuning in to this meeting today because they had a broad expectation that this interim report would contain some robust and strong recommendations. Clearly, on the basis of the Minister's opening statement and the contents of the report that was circulated at approximately 3 p.m., that is not the case. Within minutes of the report being circulated, I received emails and text messages from councillors from all parties and none who are bitterly disappointed. They are not bitterly disappointed with the Minister of State but rather with the fact that after all of the talk and the widespread expectation, they will not be getting proper remuneration. We must put the facts on the record of the House. Councillors are in receipt of €17,000 per year after tax. As the Minister of State has indicated, young men and women, as well as older men and women from different backgrounds and traditions and from all parties and none are saying that they cannot go on any longer. They cannot wait for another six months for the Government to decide on their future. They cannot afford to pay out any more. The role of councillor is costing them money. Councillors are telling us that they are dipping into their housekeeping money. They work very long hours but do not feel valued for the work they do.

In terms of the submissions made to Ms Moorhead, I would single out the one from the AILG which was excellent and which made very clear recommendations. Now we are hearing that there will be online surveys of councillors. There are 949 councillors and we are going to have further desktop studies and requests for formal submissions. The Minister of State indicated that his Department's response to the interim report has almost been finalised. The Department has not even finalised its response but there are plans for further in-depth online surveys of elected members as well as surveys of local authorities and management with regard to the structures of remuneration. There will be desktop studies and technical consultants will discuss them. The Minister of State's script goes on and on about what will be done in the future and that is a real disappointment. I reiterate that I am not disappointed with the Minister of State because I do not doubt for one moment his personal commitment to councillors and to local government. Like me, he was first elected to a council in 1999. I have travelled many a road with him in the context of his membership of the AILG and the General Council of County Councils before that. I do not doubt the Minister of State's intentions but he must provide a commitment that the final report will be published in the spring and implemented. This has gone on for far too long. We do not need to have another round of online surveys and consultations. We have had all of that already. We need to just get on with the work and deliver. As stated previously, councillors should be earning between €30,000 and €35,000 per year. That is reasonable and it is half of what Senators are paid. We need to recognise the value of councillors, pay them properly and acknowledge that they are on the front line in terms of the delivery of local government services.