Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

She is expected back in the Chamber straight away. We need to implement a system whereby elected representatives can have maternity leave. That will require using technology to allow remote voting, child care facilities in the councils and to allow facilities for mothers who are feeding in the council offices. We need to do that.

The travel allowance is very beneficial for those who are travelling 50,000 km, 60,000 km or 70,000 km a year. It is of no value whatsoever to a councillor living in a city, it is of very little value to councillors who are living close to their council. We have to go back and look at that. We have to look at a more egalitarian way of dealing with transport.Perhaps we should look at something like a fixed transport allowance based on something similar to what we have in Leinster House for elected representatives which, depending on how far away one is from the local authority, one would get a fixed travel allowance. Perhaps that is the way to look at it.

I am glad to hear the Minister of State say today that he will look at additional items on the expenses list published because the list excludes certain issues. It excludes: rent; rates; utilities and other charges of office accommodation; electoral expenses, which I can accept; services purchased from a person who is on the pay role of a local authority, which I can accept; and expenses incurred which are covered by other allowances, which I can accept. There are county councillors all over this country who have offices where they hold their clinics. There are full-time county councillors all over the place. When the Minister of State is reviewing those issues, he may do us a favour and include utilities, rent and all of the other items that are associated with running an office.