Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the 12 Senators who contributed to the debate, all of whom expressed their support for the Bill. The two Government Senators who spoke were constrained by officialdom in the Custom House. Their contributions were maybe a little more muted.

I welcome all the contributions and the engagement from my Seanad colleagues to a very real and live issue. It was not my intention to divide the House this evening. I am shocked that the Government is opposing the Bill, which I hoped would receive cross-party support, allowing it to go forward. If there is a vote this evening, it is because we want to progress the issue.

The Minister of State spoke of the scoping review that could take place within the terms of reference of the newly established pay and conditions commission for local authority members. The view on this side of the House is that the commission was established to look solely at the pay, terms and conditions of councillors. It was not established to look at the remit or other issues. I would not like to see that important work diluted in any way, or for the timeframe to be extended in any way. I could not support the dilution of that particular work.

I am willing to work with the Department. Last week when the Bill was published, I told the Leaders' office that I was available, even over the weekend, to meet with officials or with Government to discuss the Bill. I believe Fine Gael councillors and Independent Alliance councillors, many of whom have spoken to me about this, are fully supportive of this Bill. The Bill was not required as a regulation could have been made by the Minister. However, I brought the Bill forward to try to force the issue.

Many councillors across the State are at breaking point on this issue. The local elections are just over 12 months away and we need action on the matter now. It is very wrong that a councillor would end up being penalised or scapegoated by the electorate because he or she was not able to garner sufficient responses from the council on representations made. I met with a councillor in my county last weekend. He had made a representation to the local authority seven times and did not get a response. The constituent, who is a citizen, and the community group he represents probably feel the councillor was not doing his job but this was not the case. This is a fundamental issue. I would not like to see the pay, terms and conditions issue or this issue diluted. It is such a simple issue and it has the support of the Association of Local Government and the Local Government Management Agency.

I carried out a survey of 949 councillors from all parties and received more than 80 responses, which were all favourable to this particular Bill. I am available to work with the Department, but I will not sideline the Bill tonight or move it into a committee. When that happens, very often things do not get done.

A quote made famous in later years by Mr. John Bruton is that the pursuit of perfection is noble, but unless we are willing to settle for good, we may have to settle for nothing at all. I am not prepared to settle for nothing at all. While the Bill may have its imperfections, I am willing to work with the Government to iron out those imperfections on Committee Stage. I want to see the Bill progress from here today. The Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, is a very good and capable Minister of State, not just because he served in this House and is from Kilkenny. I believe he has the best interests of elected local authority members at heart and, therefore, I hope he will not stand in the way of this very practical measure we are trying to bring in with this Bill.