Seanad debates

Monday, 15 February 2021

Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters

Local Authority Members

10:30 am

Photo of Marie SherlockMarie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is good to see Senator Warfield in the Chair. I am sure that the Minister of State is in no doubt as to the frustration among councillors regarding their pay and conditions and that he does not need reminding of the clear and unambiguous commitment in the programme for Government on the implementation of the Moorhead report within one year of the Government's formation. We find ourselves just under 18 weeks out from the first anniversary of that formation but we still have zero inkling as to what the Government intends. We have word that there is a report, produced by the Minister of State, sitting on the desk of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, but we have not seen it and we have no idea what the Cabinet intends to do with it. That is not good enough because this is not just about the pay and conditions of councillors, who have had to put up with lip-service being paid in respect of this issue for many years. Rather, it is not good enough because this is about respect for the important role that councillors undertake in policy making, advocacy and representation in their communities. It is about affording dignity to those who serve their communities. As a newly elected councillor, something that made an impression on me was a former lord mayor of Dublin racing out at the end of a meeting to go to a job in an An Post sorting office over Christmas because of a need to supplement that person's income as a councillor.

This is about ensuring that we attract those who want to serve their communities and, importantly, retain them when they become elected. We know that, if we are to improve the gender balance in local authorities and the Oireachtas, we must crack the nut of attracting more women to contest local elections. We can then ensure a greater gender balance. This is also about recognising that local government is the backbone of services across our communities.

The Moorhead report makes ten recommendations. All of them are important, but there are four that are within the Government's remit to enact. These relate to salary, travel and subsistence expenses in the course of a councillor's work, travel and subsistence expenses in the course of attendance at external meetings, and retirement benefits. With respect, I do not want to hear from the Minister of State about the work that is being done on the six other recommendations, which relate to flexibility in holding meetings, administrative support and other supports to councillors. At this point, that work should be undertaken within local authorities anyway. If we do not resolve the issue of pay and conditions, we will not resolve the six other conditions. If we do resolve it, though, we will ensure that councillors can pay for childcare, are not racing out the door to try to attend other meetings and can actually depend on their incomes as councillors.

I am conscious that there is not unanimity on the precise recommendations in the Moorhead report, particularly the recommended income level, but that is no reason to delay what the Government intends to do. The Government has a mandate in the programme for Government. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply.

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