Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will be conscious of my time because we are really here to listen. I am particularly pleased that the Lord Mayor of Dublin, the leas-chathaoirleach, the mayor of Fingal and the mayor of South Dublin are here. I want to ask them three questions. The witnesses all made excellent submissions. I am a former county councillor for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. I get the sense from councillors across all four Dublin local authorities that they are working exceptionally well. It has taken a long time to bed them down. Mr. Henchy touched on the reasons this new structure came about and the unwieldy old Dublin County Council, as it was. Mr. Edge touched on the Government suggesting that it may proceed with a mayor for Dublin. That is certainly not going to happen in these local elections because there are no plans for it. I am picking up more and more as I go that the local authorities are happy to go along the way it is. I think it is working exceptionally well.

What is local politics about? The witnesses are the closest politicians to the people when it comes to subsidiarity. They live in their communities and represent their communities. Mr. Edge said it is to restore our local democracy. What a profound word. It is to restore our local democracy. The witnesses are challenging us about restoring many aspects of our local democracy. It is important that the witnesses here.

Nobody of the four we have heard from so far has touched on a recurring theme from the other sessions with councils, which has been the need for support for councillors to do their work, including independent legal advice, financial advice and planning advice. Planning, finance and legal are daily tasks, particularly in the witnesses' councils. How do the witnesses feel that truly independent advice could be improved to support them in their work? It is a recurring theme and something that they have not necessarily touched on today. They have limited time and I appreciate that. They might touch on that.