Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

One cannot go down a byroad or city street today without seeing hundreds of posters for hopeful local election candidates. I wish each and every one of them well. As they are my electorate, I do not mind speaking on their behalf. We have repeatedly promised councillors that we will review their pay and terms and conditions of employment, as well as their powers, but, rankly, we have done nothing for them. County councillors were promised a review would happen by Hallowe'en and by the end of the year or at some other time. I wonder if the many hopefuls who have never been elected before realise what they are getting themselves into. As the miserable allowance they receive will be spent in looking after their constituents, they will get nothing. If they live in places like west Cork, it will cost them money to run their cars. They will finish up on boards of management in schools and education and training boards and they will simply not be able to afford to attend because they will not be paid proper expenses. The bottom line is there is an urgent need for reform. I ask the Deputy Leader to arrange a debate in this House before the new incoming councillors take their seats in order that we will openly discuss in front of the public their terms and conditions of employment. As I have no difficulty in discussing the terms and conditions of employment of elected persons in any public forum, I ask that we have that debate.

I totally concur with my colleague Senator Horkan in what he said about the cost of car insurance and the issue of a cartel raised in a report issued today. It is about time there was a detailed investigation of the issue, particularly when one hears about young drivers buying cars for €2,000 and that it costs them €6,000 to insure them. Owning and insuring a car is not a huge issue in suburban Dublin, but it is simply prohibitive if one lives in rural Ireland and is an apprentice who must drive 25 or 30 miles to work each day. The rule changes made are good and I do not disagree with most of them, but even if a driver gets to the stage where he or she has a driving licence, he or she cannot afford to drive because he or she cannot get insurance. We have to change the way things are done in this country. We need to debate the matter prior to any report coming from a European source.