The Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, yesterday rejected criticisms of the role played by councillors and said he was making no apology for proposals before the Cabinet for a new financial package for the 800-plus elected representatives to local authorities throughout the country.
The Minister proposed a once-off lump-sum for local council "veterans" who step down before the next local elections. He has warned that councillors who do not retire and lose at the polls will not qualify under the reform package for the gratuity even with long service.
The Minister says a new structure will be in place for councillors elected in future, as well as an improved allowance and expenses system.
Yesterday, after addressing 520 delegates at the close of the three-day annual Local Authority Members' Association conference in Rosslare, Co Wexford, the Minister spoke of his concerns on adequate financial support for councillors and said he made no apologies for taking steps to ensure they received fair recompense for the long hours put into their work.
"I am proposing to introduce a once-off gratuity to councillors who are not contesting the next election. It will be based on years of service," he said.
He explained that details of the package were not yet finalised, but the lump sum should give adequate recognition for the role many councillors performed on a voluntary basis over the years.
"We will then have a new remuneration system in place for those who get elected," he said.
Last night, while several delegates at the conference gave a broad welcome to the Minister's proposal, some long-serving public representatives complained that the decision not to extend the gratuity to outgoing councillors who failed to secure re-election was unacceptable.
Councillor Jimmy Kelly (Laois) said: "This would be very unfair to councillors who have given 20 to 30 years service to the public. The Minister should reconsider the matter".
However, Senator Jim Walsh (Wexford), national chairman of LAMA, said: "The Minister's acceptance of proposals which we put forward for councillors to be adequately remunerated is a major step forward in the reform of local government.
"It is a positive recognition of local councillors who frequently face unfair criticism despite the amount of voluntary service they provide in the public arena".