Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and apologise for being a little late. I have raised the issue of local government and councillors' conditions consistently in recent years, as have several colleagues from all parties and none. It feels as if there is a form of consensus but concrete action in that regard, set out in a clear timetable, is missing. The process so far has been slow and frustrating, although I acknowledge that the Minister of State is aware of that. We need to be clear that we cannot come to the Chamber next year and make the same points again. I welcome the Minister of State's comments, therefore, that he is committed to getting the matter sorted urgently. I thank the Local Authority Members Association, whose representatives are in the Public Gallery, and the Association of Irish Local Government for their valuable input on the issues. They represent councillors throughout the country and have made it clear how working conditions and remuneration badly impact local representatives and local government.

Since the Local Government Reform Act 2014, there has been a serious change in the role of local councillors. A smaller number of elected representatives try to cover larger geographic areas and for many, it is not possible, which is especially true in rural areas with vast constituencies. Councillors do not get a full-time wage but theirs is effectively a full-time role. The expectation is that if a constituent asks for help, his or her local representative needs to be able to respond quickly and appropriately, as I have witnessed. If local representatives want to do a job well, they need to be available as the first port of call for their constituents, not least vulnerable people who may need help accessing vital services and supports. As one will learn from any councillor in the country or anyone who has served in local government, it is impossible to do the job properly on a part-time basis. Many councillors do it out of hours, or by taking unpaid leave, or are lucky enough to have flexible working arrangements, but many cannot. Sadly, the current system squeezes people on lower incomes out of local government. Many fantastic councillors, some of them in the Chamber today, who represented their local communities well have been forced to step away from the role because it was not sustainable. This was especially true in advance of the recent local elections and it badly needs to be addressed.

The Moorhead report was requested to examine such issues but, as we are all aware, it has been severely delayed. There was a commitment to publishing the relevant material before the local elections in May but it did not happen, which left many councillors unsure of what their job would entail if elected and whether they could put themselves forward. I accept that some of the delays I outlined are out of the Minister of State's hands but he will be aware of the anger, disappointment and frustration of local representatives because it was pushed back until after the elections. I welcome his commitment to publishing the final Moorhead report in the coming weeks and urge him to do so. I am glad to hear his acknowledgment that councillors are underpaid for their work and the length of time that goes into the job, a point on which the House has consensus.

It has been suggested the issue of remuneration could become part of the public sector pay talks next year, but there will need to be discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the matter. Is there a commitment in principle from the Minister for Finance and the Taoiseach that it will be prioritised? I recognise the Minister of State's commitment to making the request but can we expect collective support from the Government? Ultimately, we will need to make a decision as to what role we want for local councillors and local government. Will it be an inclusive position, available to all? We are currently stuck between two poles. It is not a voluntary position with a low level of commitment but nor is it a full-time position with the resources available to do it properly. All the councillors I know make the same point, namely, no one takes up the role for a high-earning career. They just want it to be feasible and sustainable to be involved in local government. I urge the Minister of State to publish the Moorhead report in full and support a move to sustainable, full-time pay.