Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It was an absolute disgrace then and it is a disgrace now to leave towns such as that without town councils. It was a stupid act by a stupid Government and it will forever be remembered for doing that and for robbing very genuine and committed public representatives who were not in it for the money. The Ceann Comhairle knows as well as I do, and better because he has been there longer than I have, that those very committed politicians were not getting the wage or the recompense. It would not cover their mobile phones and the Ceann Comhairle knows that. They were in it because they loved their towns, they loved their areas-----

See this speech in context