Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The main issue here is timelines and when we can expect action on this issue. The Moorhead report has been in process for almost two years. The Minister of State wrote to me on 6 November and said that he had not received the report and hoped to receive it shortly. Following receipt of the report, he said he would liaise with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform before submitting the report to the Government for consideration and that it was his objective to publish it thereafter. That could take a substantial amount of time. What is the timeline involved? Can the Minister of State give an indication about the pay, including what was mentioned in "Morning Ireland" this morning? I believe councillors deserve a salary that is at least 50% of a Senator's salary, as was mentioned earlier. The work they do is comparable to the work of a Dáil Deputy albeit they might have smaller constituencies than Deputies. However, their work on the ground is key to our democracy and they should be rewarded for it.