Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Hopkins for sharing time. This is a very important matter. There are several issues that need to be dealt with. One of these relates to the size of constituencies. As I stated on a Commencement debate, constituencies are ludicrously large. I hope the Minister will bring forward legislation as soon as possible in order to amend the position in this regard. The vouched annual expenses allowance worth up to €5,000 for which councillors may opt instead of the existing unvouched allowance of €2,500 is not the appropriate route to take. The administration that will be necessary to deal with this will place another burden councils. We are just creating more paperwork. This change will not do anything for local government. We are trying to audit a system that makes no logical sense. In the context of the amounts of money about which we are talking, officials will be obliged to act as auditors. That does not make sense. What will be the administration cost to which this change will given rise? We need to examine these issues.

There is a major issue in the context of local government and it is the responsibility of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government to deal with it. We have never had a real audit of the establishment of local government and what I would refer to as "the problem government". These bodies have never been brought before the Committee of Public Accounts and they have never been asked to account for themselves. Councillors and politicians have been brought to book on foot of their expenses, etc., but I am not aware of this happening in respect of staff of local authorities. That is the anomaly in the system. The legislation before us relates to councillors but the Minister of State has brought nothing forward about the executives of local authorities. That is a major issue with which he and his Department can deal. However, it has not been dealt with. An audit system is being put in place but that will not address the problem. The Minister of State needs to deal with this matter.