Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Vice Chairman for allowing us to come in on this issue. I welcome those from the AILG and members from the representative organisations. Those from LAMA were here yesterday.

Many questions have been asked already. In a speech, it was indicated that there would be back pay. My colleague, Deputy Cassells, asked where that back pay would come from. Back pay has been promised. Will there be back pay going back to the local elections in 2019? The 2020 budget was a missed opportunity in regard to this issue.

The other clarification we seek relates to what was announced on "Morning Ireland". Is that going to be implemented and when? We need details about where that funding will come from. Is the ultimate aim to link this to public sector pay and to include that as part of it? We cannot continue to have an argument on this singular issue every few years with nothing being resolved. Can we have clarification on whether it will be linked to a Senator's pay or to some other grade in the public service?