Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and the Leader and wish them well in their roles. I congratulate all the Senators on being elected to the House. I am very honoured and privileged to be elected here and to be among the fine body of people I see in front of me in this room.

I compliment all the Senators on their contributions. I particularly compliment Senator Black whose contribution came very much from the heart and was related to her personal experience and journey. If we are honest, every family in this country could tell a similar story. It is an issue that we need to explore in more depth. I ask the Leader to ask the relevant Minister to come to the House to see how we can look at online gambling and what constraints we can introduce because it is a serious problem that is getting worse, among many others.

Harking back to my past, many Senators mentioned the role of country councillors. I was elected as a town councillor in 1999 and a county councillor in 2004. I would like to think that I speak with some authority on the issue. The abolition of town councils was a serious mistake. It has done nothing for towns in rural Ireland and must be addressed. The workload has increased. Based on my experience - and I do not say this lightly - that workload is unbelievable. It has reached the stage that very few people will be able to enter politics because the role of a county councillor is a full-time job if it is done properly. This issue, including terms and conditions, must be addressed at a time when we are trying to get more people, including more women, involved in politics. By removing the town councils, we have taken away the first tier of local government and the first step on the ladder relating thereto. This is a mistake and the relevant Minister should come to the House to address all of those issues.