Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Councillor Dermot Lacey to the Chamber. It is always good to see a councillor in the room. I am very aware of how hard councillors work. I thank Senators Boyhan, Keogan, Craughwell and McDowell for using their group's Private Members' time to bring forward this really important and timely motion. It has my full support, and I am grateful for the opportunity provided by it and by the work of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee, of which I am a part. This is about talking about the need to revitalise and empower our system of local democracy.

The report of the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities should be a wake-up call for the Government. It lays out in great detail what councillors, their representative bodies, academics and trade unions have been saying for years, that is, that our local authorities are chronically disempowered and underfunded. There is absolutely no doubt about that. It undermines public confidence in local democracy and public service provision. It is vital that we generate real momentum to get the Government to deliver real reform in this area. I note that the AILG has called its campaign on this issue #ReadyforReform. That is a message we should all be able to get behind. Devoted people working under stressful and frustrating conditions because they care about representing their communities have been waiting for change for far too long. I have travelled the length and breadth of this country and I have never seen anything like the dedication that councillors give. It is a vocation, really, because it is not done for the pay. That is for sure.

The motion highlights an observation made by LAMA in its submission to the Seanad Public Consultation Committee that there is a certain irony in an Oireachtas committee talking about strengthening local democracy when successive governments have weakened and continue to weaken local authorities and councillors, stripping them of duties and powers. The policing Bill that was before the Chamber just before this debate is a prime example of that. Members of the Oireachtas, especially those representing Government parties, must reflect on the hypocrisy of that position and work for a course correction.

One of the things that comes up in the report and in the submissions from LAMA and the AILG is how councillors in Ireland have far more constituents than the EU average and, especially in rural areas, represent large geographic areas. That means that councillors often have a really large casework load from constituents whom they may have to travel to meet. That is a huge burden, as my colleague said earlier, especially given that councillors often have full-time jobs due to the low rate of pay they receive. In that sense, the abolition of town councils in 2014 was a regressive and unfortunate step.

Ahead of the next local elections, it is so important we all work to create a positive and productive political environment. That is especially important in the context of encouraging younger people, women, LGBT people and ethnic minorities to get involved in politics. We need to do more to make sure that politicians reflect the diversity of the populations they serve.Many organisations are doing brilliant work in this regard, including Women for Election, the Immigrant Council of Ireland and the AILG. The Government has also helped through the introduction of modest gender quotas and the provision of maternity leave for councillors. That is fantastic but the impact of this work will be hindered if reforms around the pay, safety and authority of councillors are not addressed.

I am glad the motion highlights the harassment and security threats that many councillors have to endure. It truly is despicable. Social media has created new methods of harassment. Councillors receive threats, abuse and even sexual harassment online. It is even more terrifying that this harassment is spilling over into real life. We have to highlight the alarming emergence of the far right and the anti-migrant protests over the past two years. They have been targeting accommodation for homeless people and refugees, as well as libraries. We all remember when they blocked access to this building. Councillors have also been targeted. A mob marched to the home of a councillor in Ballyfermot some months ago. Another councillor had a brick thrown through his window which narrowly missed a family member. It is truly awful. I express my solidarity with those councillors and their families, and anyone else who has endured such threats, violence and harassment. On 23 November we saw the kind of chaos that this divisiveness can create. We need to call it out. Earlier in my speech I spoke about how Members of the Oireachtas need to reflect on the role they may have played in disempowering councillors. In addition, all of us in this House need to reflect on our role in spreading fear, hatred and misinformation which puts people, including public representatives, at risk. That has to be called out as well.

I am delighted to support this motion. I look forward to working on this issue further with my colleagues in the Seanad Public Consultation Committee. We will be hearing from all the councillors representing communities all over the country. It is powerful to hear the work they are doing. We have much to learn from them. I hope this process will be a catalyst for real, lasting reform because there is no doubt that it is long overdue.