Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

In order to get more people involved at any level we need to make it more amenable to those who cannot get time off during the day. I have a problem attending joint committee meetings, not because of local government commitments but because they clash with the Order of Business in the House. If there was reform, it would actually make it easier to hold the dual mandate, in addition to helping others contribute to public life.

The Minister has indicated that he is thinking about making membership of local government a full-time job. I totally oppose this suggestion. Local government has an almost voluntary aspect which is recognised by the fact that no salary is provided – a representational payment is made to councillors. It would be a retrograde step to exclude business people, for example.