Shrinking the number of local council members will not go ahead following a majority vote against the move in the senate on Tuesday.

The motion, brought by Labour MP Pierre Heijnen, was for a 10% reduction in the number of councillors which he estimated would save €18m.

However, the senate said the move would send ‘the wrong message’, particularly at a time when the government is planning to decentralise some of its work, such as care of the elderly and the handicapped.