John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is no agreement in Galway but I hope that there can be some semblance of agreement.

Senator Craughwell made the point that there is no councillor on the expert group. There is a long-held practice in Irish politics that politicians do not sit on groups that determine boundaries, for obvious reasons. In Galway, managers were brought into the process. They agree with the process and with the result. They also fundamentally agree about the funding issue.

Senator Kieran O'Donnell spoke at length about directly elected mayors and the full debate that will happen. He spoke about the remarkable success of the merger in Limerick. There was wholesale political opposition in Limerick when that happened, yet it has been the driver for Limerick and the region. Powers are the key. I believe in providing maximum powers and in a local cabinet where councillors will have direct responsibility. I am familiar with this as a member of my extended family is the mayoral lead for the city of Liverpool on transport and clean air. He has been a councillor for 20 years for the Labour Party in Liverpool. This is the first time, because of the new mayoral structure, that that has existed. The system is less than two years in existence but seems to work well.

As well as the recall issue to which I referred, there is a report. Councillors have expressed frustration at the interim report compiled by Ms Sara Moorhead SC. There was an awful more in the report than people give it credit for. Much has been written about where she sees councillor pay going in the future. The key second element, which she is considering now, is functions for councillors. The AILG and LAMA could not tell me 18 months ago what powers they thought councillors should have and, therefore, I decided to get one of the most independent-minded women that I have ever met to conduct a process of investigation and to devise a proper system of pay based on the role and functions that councillors should have into the future.