Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Fianna Fáil Commencement Matter. We had asked for the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Coveney, to come to the House, but I thank the Minister for State, Deputy English, for coming in. We had asked that the Minister would outline what he is doing, or what he is going to do, to improve the terms and conditions for our local authority members. The number of local authority areas has gone from 114 to 31. There are now 678 fewer local authority members, with the loss of town councillors and the reduction in some counties of county councillors. We now only have 949 local authority members, which is one of the worst voter to local authority member ratios anywhere in Europe.

I wish to share time with my colleagues who have come in to support this matter.