Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy English, to the House. As Senator Daly has outlined, this issue has been floating around for a while, and some would say for too long. I appeal to the Minister of State, and the Minister to grasp the nettle. We have all recognised that the workload and travel has increased significantly for councillors. Effectively it has become a full-time job. Unless we look after these hard-working councillors, who we are very fortunate to have, we will find it very difficult to get anybody to enter local government. It is time the issue was dealt with. It is the least they deserve. I acknowledge the support from councillors and from Senators in this House on this matter. I also acknowledge the work done by the Association of Irish Local Government and the Local Authority Members Association in trying to push this forward. I ask the Minster of State that this issue be addressed once and for all.