Under the existing regulations, retiring councillors qualify for a retirement gratuity. This has been mentioned by previous speakers. I refer to local authority members who may be retiring in June 2004. The County Councils General Council – I welcome its director, Liam Kenny, who is in the gallery – and LAMA have, in the past, made clear to the Minister their concerns about service by elected members, some of whom have given more than 30 years of service to their local authorities.