Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the fact Senator Craughwell has been appointed a rapporteur on PRSI for councillors. I am sure he will do an excellent job on that. As I said, the all-party group met with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, on this and made a strong case for the matter, as well as for remuneration for councillors. We all know that councillors across the country have had their representational areas increase significantly. Some local authorities are now larger than constituencies and councillors are genuinely suffering as a result of this. However, that is not popular to say in the media but it is true. Councillors now have to travel long distances to meetings to represent their constituents. They will have the full support of every Member in getting fair pay for what they do. They are doing the work of Oireachtas Members in many cases, as well as having the same workloads.