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

I wish to comment on the point made about a bottom-up approach. I accept and acknowledge that we have a plan that will reform local government administrations. I do not personally agree that the district councils are working well. In Drogheda they do not work at all because we do not have a town mayor or town council. We do not have officials who are responsible for decisions in the town because all of the decisions are made in Dundalk. It is a joke in terms of local control and accountability, which is regrettable because Drogheda is the largest town in Ireland.

I welcome the plans to change local government that the Department will bring forward. The plan must work side by side with the new strategic development plan and, therefore, we should have joint documents. I agree that one without the other does not make sense and one should not leave the other. We must have proper accountability and growth. Senator Murnane O'Connor is right about Carlow and there are similar places. I also agree that we must have joined-up thinking.

I agree with the comments on transport made by Deputy Eamon Ryan. I welcome the plan but it is a work in progress. I hope that the Minister will rethink excluding towns like Drogheda, which is the largest town in Ireland, from the list of towns mentioned in the report. Due recognition of Drogheda is hugely important to my community. People want a proper council where decisions are made locally by a county manager.