On 21 June 2018, I announced that, with the agreement of the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, I was commissioning a review of the role and remuneration of local authority elected members and published the terms of reference for same. I appointed Ms. Sara Moorhead SC to conduct the independent review.
In accordance with the terms of reference, Ms Moorhead submitted an interim report at the end of November 2018, which is published on my Department's website at the following link: https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/20181205_interim_report_-_review_of_the_role_and_remuneration_of_councillors.pdf.
The interim report details the range of actions undertaken and sets out the further complex work necessary to complete the review. This work is proceeding and Ms Moorhead's intention is that her final report will be ready for submission by the end of quarter 1, 2019.
When the review is complete, its findings will be the subject of discussion between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. It will be submitted thereafter for the consideration of the Government. Details of the outcome will be announced following the conclusion of this process.