Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that, because it could be used in a negative way. My essential point is that municipal districts are almost penalised in the legislation. While I do not believe that was the intention, it could be how it is applied. I accept completely that some things must be done at a county level if that is the primary unit, such as more strategic matters or combined policies that should be applied universally in respect of housing or similar functions for which there must be overall rules. The greatest level of discretion should apply outside of such cases. As for local authorities having a culture of devolving functions, I do not know how to inculcate such a culture when it has not been there from the outset. Area committees existed long before they were formalised in the Act of 2000 but all sorts of predictions were made that the world would come down on top of us were responsibilities devolved to areas because they did not have the right to make decisions. It was suggested that it might have an impact on budgets or that the impression would be given that decisions had been made which would require subsequent rubber-stamping or reversal at county level. An attempt must be made to overcome such a culture, which might be better changed by forcing the centre to have more respect for the periphery.