Ms Lyn Hagin Meade:

I thank the Cathaoirleach and members.

It is my honour and privilege to represent Firhouse-Bohernabreena in South County Dublin, where I was co-opted in 2022. I have served as chair of the land use planning and transportation strategic policy committee, on the corporate policy group, as local area chair, and as a member of the east midlands regional assembly.

On my first day in the council, I had only an hour's introduction to the role, with documentation, but I needed more. In my council, I have advocated for a compendium of online videos and presentations from the council term to be supplied to any new councillor to aid in his or her acclimatisation for the role and that this support should be available for all councillors around the country. Likewise, I attended the climate crisis and local government CPD certificate, run by UCC and AILG, where councillors from around the country had the time and space to discuss, consider, learn and share. Access to a professional qualification in local government can benefit councillors' confidence, knowledge and effectiveness in the role.

Starting out, I believed that the role of a county councillor would be the often cited 18 hours. Indeed, for the first few summer months, it was. As a councillor becomes familiar with the issues and debates, the role balloons. There are no boundaries around the range of issues or specialisations, or the hours. The remuneration is certainly not commensurate with the responsibility of oversight, preparation, meetings, local work, events and communications that a diligent councillor is obliged to make to fulfil the role. Council work is 24-7. We field calls and emails, late into night and on weekends. One colleague took a call before their wedding. The always-on narrative needs to change systemically, with a clear delineation of the work and hours expected of a councillor and the explicit right to switch off.

Likewise while working in the chamber has a unique value, I would argue that it is not the only way that digitally literate councillors can make valuable contributions. In 2023, I suffered an ankle injury and hybrid work became invaluable. Based on my experience, I believe it is essential that all councillors should be afforded an equal opportunity to access hybrid meetings, such as I am in the chamber in south County Dublin.

I am the mother of four teens. There are additional needs and I have a child on a reduced school day. My council work is only possible because my husband has a flexible schedule.

Without set hours, there is no way to plan, manage or negotiate a care system which is rigorous and timed. It may be impossible or unfeasible to get care at short notice or for variable amounts of time. I have watched competent, committed and hard-working colleagues cite the issue of care as a reason for leaving politics. If the logistics of care is seen as a minority issue, it will remain a minority issue. Diversity and gender parity of representation will not change in our chambers if carers find the position untenable.

I am supportive of building a diverse councillor body and in 2023, I became one of 15 councillor-mentors with the Immigrant Council of Ireland's three-month scheme to encourage migrant engagement with local government. This powerful exchange of ideas and experiences taught me much about the migrant experience in Ireland. The roll-out of a similar programme could be transformative in knowledge and capacity building for minority groups, and to encourage women candidates and young people.

Finally, I would like the members to consider the rental dimension for county councillors. My family home was sold by our landlord and we became homeless less than three years ago. I came to live in the area I now represent. I am not the first, nor will I be the last, county councillor to experience insecure tenancy or homelessness. Residents, quite reasonably, want a county councillor to live in the area they represent, yet a renting councillor may be forced to leave. Councillor tenants may face additional barriers, for example, finding necessary home security modifications difficult to arrange or to justify.

I believe that local democracy can flourish with boundaries and planned, inclusive policies, whether it be training, care, work hours, remuneration, the right to switch off or acknowledgement of our different living circumstances. I thank the committee for its attention and desire to build a 21st century local democracy with tools for success.