Local Government (Support for Elected Members) Bill 2024: Second Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2025-12-10
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Joe Conway (IND), Cultural and Educational Panel

I will not even take four minutes because I do not want to be boiling my cabbage twice. A lot of what needs to be said has been said by my colleagues on both sides of the House. I commend the efforts of the AILG and LAMA, in working steadfastly for the benefits of councillors. I also want to commend Senators Black, Flynn, Higgins and Ruane on bringing this Bill before the House. It may not be the most judicious legislation in some ways but it is very important legislation. It is very important that this fire and flame of improving county councillors' conditions is progressing. It must not be allowed to lie. I will just illustrate that with a small and very quick story. On a balmy June evening of 2004 I turned up for my first council meeting in the Civic Offices in Tramore. While there, a gentleman - who I afterwards found out was the finance officer of Waterford County Council at the time - came up to me and asked: "Joe, can you give me your PPS number?"
I said, "Why would you want that?" He said, "Well, I'm going to have to pay you." I said, "What? Do you mean I get paid for this?" That showed the naivety of someone going into local government at the time. I waited with bated breath for my first pay cheque from Waterford County Council. It came in two weeks later, €74.18 for two weeks' work. That was the town council. Things have improved hugely since then but not enough. The Senator's proposed legislation looks for secretarial support as well. I look forward to the Minister's urgings with the task force and I hope that the Bill yields ripe fruit in the fullness of time.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-12-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:26+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-10