Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. I also understand the pressures as I worked full-time while I was a councillor. There is a four-page response, for which I thank the Minister of State. Two pages of it are dedicated to what is being done on the non-pay recommendations. One paragraph is on pay. This is the issue agitating and distressing councillors the most. This paragraph notes a report is with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for his consideration and will be brought thereafter to the Government. Is the Minister of State saying the issue is being held up by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and that there is a failure to progress the pay issue, as set out in the Moorhead report, because the Minister is sitting on the report and failing to bring it to the Cabinet? We need clarity on this in the House today.To be honest, councillors want to hear about all of the recommendations but the recommendation on pay is the single most important recommendation in this report, and they deserve to hear answers.