Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Senator. Given that our party and the Independents who form Government are not in a position to control a majority in either the Dáil or Seanad, we must make agreements with the Business Committees of each House regarding the time that is available. From my point of view and that of the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, we are certainly not looking to push anything through. If we were, we would not have the power to do it. This is a Bill which has been subject to extensive pre-legislative scrutiny. I stand to be corrected but I think we have even received a report from this committee about it during the tenure of the current Dáil.

I realise we under time pressure. I have many questions but I will focus on the evaluation of the local community development committee, LCDC. Will it be a 360 degree evaluation regarding people who made initial expressions of interest in the Leader programme or other such programmes and then decided not to go ahead or who dropped out during the 18-step process involved in it? One of the case studies referenced by the Minister related to LCDC structure and its merits in terms of the collaboration involved. I would say there are many weaknesses within that process. When will that evaluation be done? Will there be an opportunity for people to feed into the terms of reference for it?