We all appreciate the importance of local government. My constituency, Kildare South, spans three local authority areas, which are Kildare, Laois and Offaly, with a total of 78 councillors. I hear on the ground that some councillors find it increasingly difficult to get release from their full-time jobs to attend crucial council meetings. Interestingly, it is not private sector employers that are causing this difficulty but public sector employers, particularly in the health and education sectors. I would be grateful if the Taoiseach's office could liaise with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to remind these agencies of the importance of local government and that these councillors should be facilitated. If they are not, we should consider legislation in that regard. I thank the Taoiseach.

What Deputy Berry said is music to my ears. I said this recently to the Committee on Gender Equality. I think employers have an obligation to facilitate people to participate in politics, particularly local politics. One of the big challenges facing all political parties will be that many people, if they get jobs in particular sectors, will see it as a career-limiting move even to indicate an interest in local politics. All of society needs to understand that democracy is fundamental to how we have operated for the last 100 years. Ireland has progressed dramatically. It is transformed between 1922 and 2022, with huge progress because of democracy. There is active participatory democracy in Parliament and in local government. I have said to employment bodies and others that they have an obligation to make sure that people are encouraged to go for election in local elections. I thank Deputy Berry for raising the issue. I agree with him. I will have to check this out. Public sector employers in particular should do this.