Councillors should not get salary or expenses

In 2010 the average payment to Cork county councillors was €28,750.

The lowest paid councillor in the country in 2010, John Gallagher, Dublin City Council, claimed for nothing.

Mr Gallagher said he preferred to work in his community for no pay.

I am suggesting that we take a leaf from Mr Gallagher’s book and in future we elect only those councillors who act in a voluntary capacity, paid neither salary nor expenses. This would ensure that only those with genuine concern put themselves forward for election.

Invariably this would result in a greater turnover in personnel, with shorter times served, ensuring wider participation and greater appreciation of civic duty.

I also suspect that the whole concept of family seats and hereditary entitlements would vanish. Money saved, of course, would more than pay to repair the potholes littering the roads of the county.

Brendan Ronayne

Carrigrohane

Co Cork