Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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196. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to deal with issues that arise from section 18(4)(a) of the Local Government Act 2001 regarding councillors taking maternity leave from their elected role; his further plans to review this legislation in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43097/17]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Section 18(4) of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended, provides that councillors may be absent from meetings of a local authority for up to 6 months, either on health grounds or for another reason in good faith, and retain their seats subject to a resolution of the elected members of the Council. This period may be extended to 12 months, upon the passing of a resolution by the elected members of the Council, and to 18 months, again upon the passing of a resolution by the Council.

It is also the case that a councillor who is absent for a period of up to 6 months is entitled to continue to receive the full amount of his or her representational payment of €16,645 for so long as he or she continues to be a member of their local authority. Councillors who are absent for a period exceeding 6 months may continue to receive 50% of the representational payment for the next succeeding 6 months.

Notwithstanding this existing position, and acknowledging my Department's responsibility under the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020 to work for greater female representation in politics, my Department will review existing supports available to councillors taking maternity leave.