Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to the House. I congratulate the AILG and LAMA and their executive members for the extremely good and conscientious work they have done for a long period. Today's proposal is the best news since Noel Dempsey was the Fianna Fáil Minister who introduced the best changes ever to local government, as far as local authority members are concerned. I recognise his work today.

As far as linking the salaries of councillors to Senators, I would encourage an increase of at least 30% of a Senator's salary as I believe it would be fair and equitable. My daughter, Orla, is a councillor and chairman of a local municipal authority. Therefore, I know from personal experience about the enormous amount of work that she and all of her colleagues do. Roscommon County Council was reduced from 26 members to 18 members. Nothing concentrates the mind greater than the guillotine or the leadership of a political party. I wish the Minister well with his proposal of 10% for councillors.