Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am entitled to make my point and I disagree with the decision in question. I accept that the commission should not be examining the possibility of tinkering with the system. What I am suggesting is that it should consider what are the alternatives, rather than leaving it to the Government of the day to do so. Obviously, the Government must ultimately either introduce legislation or put a proposition to the people. I am genuinely convinced that local government is losing out and that towns are definitely losing out. More power has been transferred to the Executive, to officials and to administrative systems locally as a result of the changes that have been made. That is my honest opinion.