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DUBLIN CITY COUNCILLORS have hit out at the announcement of a €1,000 pay increase for councillors outside of the city districts.
Councillors operating in municipal districts across Ireland were informed yesterday by the Department for Local Government that they would soon be receiving a new allowance of €1,000 per year.
The Department said this is in order to reflect the additional work of and expenses incurred by councillors since the introduction of reforms in the Local Government Act (2014), which reduced the number by 41% (from 1,627 to 949).
However, councillors in the four Dublin Local Authorities, as well as members of Galway and Cork City Councils will not be entitled to the increase.
It is believed this is due to the numbers of councillors actually having risen in city councils, and the geographical area that they have to cover being smaller.
However, Dublin city councillors have hit out at decision, saying it represented unequal treatment.
“There has been a policy of anti-urban policies by successive ministers and this is just the latest of it,” Labour councillor Dermot Lacey for Pembroke-Rathmines told TheJournal.ie.
“I’d like Dublin City Council to be treated fairly like everyone else.
My electoral area has 100,000 people in it. We’ve been working for in Municipal areas for years without them being called that.
Lacey said that the costs of parking in Dublin and the costs incurred by leafleting homes were two examples of the extra expenses incurred by city members.
“What we need is real reform, not these piecemeal changes,” he said.
[Housing Minister Simon Coveney] would have been better off doing nothing.
Lacey’s comments were echoed by Independent councillor for the North Inner City Nial Ring.
Ring told TheJournal.ie that he felt Dublin city councillors did a huge amount of work and had one of the biggest populations to cater to.
“Councillors are certainly not in this for the money,” said Ring.
“Most us get involved because we want to make a difference in our communities.
This is just another case where Dublin has to pick up the tab for the rest of the country.
Vouched expenses
All councillors across the country have also been informed that they will now be entitled to an increase of around €2,500 to their vouched expenses.
As things stand, elected members of a council are entitled to between €2,286 and €2,667 a year in a fixed allowance to cover administrative expenses. These expenses are un-vouched (receipts do not have to be provided to claim).
Now, council members will have an option of trading in that allowance for up to a €5,000 allowance in vouched for expenses a year. This will apply to things like newsletter distribution, web hosting, secretary support and similar things.
Both these changes are due to come into effect from 1 July of this year, once Minister Coveney has signed the appropriate regulations
The new measures were broadly welcomed by the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG), who has been campaigning for improved terms for councillors since 2014.
However, the group said it was “disappointed and concerned” that city councils would be exempt from the €1,000 increase to allowances.
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‘We want the same rules and to be treated the same as the rest of the UK citizens by the Uk government ONLY when it suits
When it does not suit, the UK government should mind its own business’
I think I have it now
@James Beattie: now they want a border down the Irish Sea!!
@James Beattie: God knows what constituency Jefferey is pandering to, but he and the DUP are definitely losing a larger constituency that will leave them behind.
This was always going to be a big test for Jeffreys leadership. I think he has just shot himself in the foot before he could leave the blocks. Music to the ears of the Alliance Party!
@James Beattie: time up Jeffrey reality hitting home brits don’t care
@James Beattie: Yup. And as for SF, it’s “London should stay out of Northern politics and affairs until it suits us”. Both sides are hypocritical basket cases. We’re well shot of them.
A la carte Unionism.
@Padraig O Muirthile: let’s move the border to encompass just the uteri (uteruses) of good loyalist women.
@Padraig O Muirthile: I would like to flag myself as being offensive. I just fenegled myself into insulting and being offensive to a large cohort of our population. And then, mentioned utureses, a clear case of misogyny. But its OK. Its fine to be offensive to Unionism. And unionist womens’ bits.
@Padraig O Muirthile: generic faux outrage comment.
@Padraig O Muirthile: generic inoffensive retort.
@Padraig O Muirthile: do you enjoy talking to yourself?
@Roy Dowling: sometimes I get unreasonable and I’m the only one who knows me well enough to talk me down.
@Padraig O Muirthile: Hahahah
@Padraig O Muirthile: A la carte Republicanism too it seems.
@Elrond Rivendell: absolutely. Interesting also to note that there were 50% more abortions in Ireland last year than deaths by covid. Just interesting to note.
@Padraig O Muirthile: It’s not interesting at all.
@Francis Mc Carthy: No interest in over 6000 avoidable deaths?
Unionism in Northern Ireland is a complete basket case of an ideology at this stage, they can’t even agree on who they are or what they stand for.
@Rochelle: it usually involves No.
@Rochelle: If there wasn’t (perceived) animosity between the UK and Ireland, the loyalists wouldn’t give a fiddlers about the union. Its nothing more than a mechanism for their bigotry and hatred. Truth is, nobody wants them and they know it.
@Rochelle:
@Rochelle:
@Rochelle:
@frank griffin: we are still waiting Frank….
Unionism/Loyalism is like a little Jack Russell who used to tag along with an English Bull Terrier and, by association with the fiercer dog, get it’s way. Now the English Bull Terrier, sick of the constant needy whinging, has wandered off leaving little Jack alone and yapping at shadows.
@Chief Buck Cat: nice analogy, especially coming from a cat.
Is he saying the locally elected MPs who sit in London have no real job or input into Northern Ireland then either. Maybe he should just recall all the MPs, I’m sure they’d be delighted. Then again they are part of the ‘Union’ so have a right to be there, but then they have no right to direct what they do in Northern Ireland, but they have a right to be it’s sovereign ruler… perfect sense really when you drill into the detail, it doesn’t muddy the waters at all further!
Even the eccentric Boris has washed his hands with this looney lot from the north.they are nothing but a headache for both Westminster and dublin
They are so out of touch with the electorate. I’m quite happy sitting back and watching these bible bashing puritan bigots implode as they go the way of the dodo.
Local people voted AGAINST Brexit? Does that count for anything?
“It’s not right that some impose their views on others”. I wonder did someone write that statement for Mr. Donaldson or did he actually say it of his own volition, and does he actually believe that.
@Dan Looney: whoever wrote it obviously doesn’t have a sense of irony
He won’t listen to anyone, rude and ignorance is the order of the day, never change just plough on with the same old nonsense. Never budge
The DUP and Far-Right anti-choice ‘patriots’ in the 26 counties gravitating closer and closer.
@Rebecca BarrettNp: Yea, everyone that has reservations about abortion is far right… Luckily enough, the actual far right in this country has miniscule numbers as seen by their election results. Some people like yourself would love if it was greater, but most people are fairly centralist in their outlook with some leaning slightly to the left or right of the political spectrum.
@Longlin: That’s their choice. It’s high time that women had a choice also.
@Longlin: I narrowed my description down, never said anything about ‘everyone that has reservations about abortion is far-right’, quite an insecure reply.
@Longlin: indeed. There are some people who fantasise we are surrounded by far right extremists. Truth is, as election shows they thankfully have miniscule support here. I suspect though this disappoints some as they love to tell us how wonderful they are in fighting this imaginary threat…
Why don’t they just let women do what they want. They’re going to anyway. It’ll be on their conscience for the rest of their lives. So let them have at it. There can be another mardigra in Belfast like there was in Dublin when it was voted in. I wash my hands of the whole sorry situation.
@Anna Carr: Celebrating freedom from oppressive archaic ideology and laws should never be done, it’s disgusting.
@Diarmuid Hunt: that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. But not surprising.
@Anna Carr: You’re welcome.
@Diarmuid Hunt: lol
@Anna Carr: you aren’t out in society much?
@Michael Burke: actually no, not at the moment but what’s that got to do with the price of tea?
@Michael Burke: Is anyone?!
@Anna Carr: Well first of all, its Mardi Gras, and second of all, women need that choice. It doesnt mean they are going to make it lightly, but in certain instances, they need to have it. So unless you have ever been in what you describe ‘the whole sorry situation’ then you dont really get to be haughty about it
@Pauline Gallagher: I’m terribly sorry but oh yes I do. OK, I can’t spell, but I do have a conscience and nothing in this wide world will convince me that abortion is right in any way, shape or form and don’t bring rape or incest into it, as these only represent a small percentage. Mostly the unborn is unwanted or in the way. I’ll be as haughty as I like as a woman with 2 children one of whom is disabled. Had this been known before his birth I wouldn’t have done it any differently. I don’t care what choices you make, you have to live with the consequences but don’t tell me what I do and don’t get to be, woman to woman.
@Anna Carr: https://youtu.be/TF_y0WnZ6XM
@David F. Dwyer: hahaha. Yeah pretty much. I’m very passionate about certain things. But I’m an otherwise nice person lol.
@Anna Carr: “Don’t bring rape or incest into it”. Uh-huh. So I think you would find it difficult to oppose an abortion in those situations. Then how to justify supporting some abortions is the problem. But you have it- just pretend that the majority of abortions are flippantly done because the pregnancy is in the way. Maybe… just mind your own business on this one anna? And don’t lean in to the haughty-ness. Person to person.
@Bill Spill: thank you so much. Have a great day :)
Sinn Fein want UK intervention in NI and the Unionists want the UK to keep their noses out. World’s gone mad.
Big change in SF looking to British Government to intervene having “waged a war” to get them out.
Issue aside, the irony of Sinn Fein asking the British government to legislate over any part of Ireland is too good. What’s next, they’ll take their seats in Westminster, but only vote on NI issues?
Wait… SF are now pro-choice up north? Having been pro life for years, even when the crowd down south jumped to pro choice.
Or are they just “anything the DUP don’t want” now?
What is going to happen the DUP when they have no more toys to throw out of their pram. A United Ireland??
She wants the British government to intervenein Northern Ireland one day, then not intervene the next.
Make up yer minds, Shinners
The point is this; any given measure by anyone is either inherently good or bad. She should be applauded. Opportunistic comments remain opportunistic, that is reprehensible
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