I raise a matter on which the Cathaoirleach has worked hard for some years. In the eight years since I became a member of the executive of the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, I have met umpteen Ministers and civil servants to discuss councillors' remuneration and conditions. I am delighted that the revised Moorhead report, on which considerable work was done, was approved at Cabinet today. The Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, has primary responsibility for the matter.

I compliment the members of the AILG and the Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA, who have worked tirelessly over the years to get this implemented. I also thank the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, the two senior Ministers who rubber-stamped this decision at the Cabinet table today.

I give a special mention to the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, who was very open to meeting the AILG, LAMA and any politician or other interest group that wanted to engage with him. If the Moorhead report had been implemented as laid out, many councillors would have been in a worse position. The report from the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is fair and balanced and will help to encourage younger people into politics. As we know, councillors are probably the hardest working politicians. Anyone who was a county councillor knows well the full weight of work that is on the shoulders of county councillors. I welcome this development and thank all those who have made it possible.

After I raised the need for gambling control three times in the House, the Leader granted a special debate at which the Minister promised action. That emboldens me to ask the Leader yet again about another important issue, one that is dear to the Cathaoirleach's heart, namely, the thousands of undocumented Irish in America. We are seeking to have E3 visas granted to these people. The visa was awarded to Australians in 2005 as part of a US-Australia trade agreement. It is a two-year renewable visa, which also allows recipients and their spouses to live and work in the United States. Under our proposal, Irish citizens would apply for the unused portion of Australia's allocation of 10,500 visas. That would grant us between 6,000 and 6,500 visas per annum, which would be a marvellous start.

The House of Representatives passed a version of a Bill to this effect last March but it has struggled to gain support in the Senate. Under the legislation, reciprocal rights would be given to Americans to retire and work here. Irish groups have asked Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to expedite the legislation under provisions the pandemic allows. Hopefully, much will come out of that.

My former colleague, John Deasy, is an advocate and full-time professional lobbyist in this area in America. The essential point is that we cannot forget our kith and kin in America who are undocumented. The pandemic brings their situation into even greater focus. I ask that we discuss the undocumented Irish with the relevant Ministers to see where we are now and where we are going, and step up our campaign to get them E3 visas.

I, too, welcome the Moorhead report on councillors' pay going to Cabinet this morning to be signed off. Independent Senators have done considerable work on this issue in recent years. Senators Craughwell and Boyhan have been relentless in representing councillors' needs, as have I since I became a Senator. I am delighted that the Government of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael has finally delivered for our hard-working councillors throughout this country.

And the Green Party.