Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We have had very good engagement here this morning. It has been really worthwhile. I accept Mr. Paul Reid's point about cosy arrangements and note the response. It is incumbent on the County and City Managers Association, an organisation that is partially but not entirely funded by the taxpayers - that is a debate for another day - to communicate its central themes and policies better.

One of the witnesses told us about making a submission about resources. I ask the witnesses to share a copy of that submission with us. I do so not to check on what the witness is doing, but to be an advocate and to push it further because we have a forum in this room to push and resource this programme. The witness will not find people wanting in helping the witness and the witness's organisation and the process. If the witness will share that with us, we will take it on board. I give the witness a commitment to pursue each of the objectives in the witness's organisation's submission. The more that organisation shares this information with all the stakeholders, the more we can assist one another. I thank all the groups.

Given that we have representatives from the Association of Irish Local Government present, we might ask them a few questions on what Deputy Cowen mentioned, the supremacy of the county development plan. This afternoon in the Seanad we will debate proposals that will impact on the supremacy of the county development plan and the elected members. Clearly we can articulate that later, but it would be worth taking the opportunity to tease out some issues with the AILG.