Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy again for his remarks. In the first instance there can be a positive resolution by the local authority members.

If the local authority resolves to have its own democratically elected executive head, that is sufficient. Demand for a plebiscite can also be demonstrated by petition of 20% of registered voters within an authority's functional area.

I would point out that my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, is making swift progress with the electoral reform Bill. I expect that will clean up the electoral system. We have our own committee adjudicating and the oversight of an independent electoral commission. That will feed into a more transparent process for all. I acknowledge that a significant body of work has to be done in respect of our electoral register to achieve that. For the moment, the committee can make its own deliberations. A democratically elected executive head can be put in place by a positive resolution of the local authority or the petition of 20% of the registered voters in the local authority area. I ask the committee to consider that in tandem the work being done by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan.