Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

First, I welcome the Minister of State and his officials to this committee. I also welcome the representatives of the Association of Irish Local Government AILG, the Local Authority Members Association, LAMA and anyone else who is tuning in.

I read the Minister of State's statement last night and there was nothing new in it. I have a few questions.

The Moorhead report was commissioned in June 2018. We are now heading into Christmas 2019. It has been a long time and people are frustrated. The Minister of State will be aware of this because I have seen the correspondence that has gone to him. I passed correspondence on to the Minister of State from people of all parties and none in the matter.

To set the context straight here in this public meeting, councillors are on €17,359; it is a pittance for the work they do. The Minister of State himself started in the General Council of County Councils with me in 1999. I know he is committed to local government. This is not a dispute with the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, whose hands are perhaps a little more tied than he wants to say. The reality is the Government made a commitment in advance of the local elections, in which in excess of 900 councillors were elected, that we would address it. I suppose I am asking the Minister of State what is the delay. Has he seen additional drafts of this report in the past two or three months? Can the Minister of State tell this committee whether he has seen any drafts of this recommendation? Is there a reticence or reluctance on the part of Government to acknowledge the important work that county councillors do?

As I say, it is frustrating. Members of all parties, including the Minister of State's own, are frustrated by the lack of progress. I am trying to get confirmation. What is the Minister of State's plan?

I have stated previously I believe city and county councillors should earn approximately €30,000 - 50% of what Senators earn. I believe their earnings should be linked to Senators and have said so previously. I do not support decoupling county councillors from other politicians. We are all politicians. We are all elected. We are all serving our communities and our constituents.

I will not dwell on it. As I say, I do not doubt the Minister of State's commitment but it is time that we had clarification. At this stage, where is this report? When will it be published? What is the process for publishing it? I would also like the Minister of State to give a commitment that he will continue to engage with this committee, as he is doing today, on how we will progress it and to say what is happening.

Finally, I did not have an opportunity, because I left early to come here, to hear what was said on "Morning Ireland". The Minister of State might enlighten us as to what he is talking about in relation to "Morning Ireland" and his commitment for additional or interim funding. I simply do not know. I came down the stairs today to be told that there was an announcement on "Morning Ireland". The Minister of State might share that with the committee.