Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this very important legislation. This Bill is not only about enhancing the role of local authorities but also empowering their elected representatives to serve and to do their job without fear or worry. The points being made in the debate are well made. The Minister of State should be acknowledged as the person who delivered for councillors in his term, to be fair to him. He delivered on the thorny issues of councillors' pay and conditions and he deserves the support and thanks not just of Members in this House, who advocated on behalf of the councils, but also of the local authority members for his work. We should praise the AILG and LAMA for their representation and advocacy.

I have spoken on the Appropriations Bill. We should not put impediments in the way of local authority members in delivering their service and their role to the people they represent. We should support them in every single way.

I will make this final point, which is worth making. The vast majority of local authority members work in addition to fulfilling their roles as members of local authorities. The majority of their time now is spent doing council work and their role has been enhanced and changed.

Today is a good day. I thank the Minister of State for what he has done and wish him well on Saturday.