A call for the government to pay for cover while county councillors who are public sector workers attend council meetings has been shot down.
Cllr Michael Gleeson says councillors who are teachers, nurses, doctors, or others that work in the public sector, should be given 15 days leave to attend council meetings.
Speaking at Kerry County Council's monthly meeting, the Kerry Independent Alliance cllr also called on the Government to pay for a substitute or locum for councillors on those 15 days.
Cllr Michael Gleeson, a retired teacher, said the present situation is grossly unfair on councillors that are teachers, nurses, doctors, or other public sector workers, as well as being unfair on their colleagues in the workplace.
He said especially in COVID times, classes can't be doubled up, while a councillor that's also a teacher attends a council meeting.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Norma Moriarty agreed, saying it was too difficult for her to work as a teacher and a councillor, so she took a career break from teaching.
Independent Cllr Brendan Cronin, however, was vehemently opposed to the motion, saying anyone that stands for election knows what the role involves.
He said it would cost €3,450 a year to pay for a substitute for each councillor that's a teacher.
He also said the proposal amounted to discrimination against the self-employed.
Labour Cllr Marie Moloney agreed, saying it would create a divide between the public and private sector.
Following a vote the motion was defeated.
