Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have listened to the debate and I know the restoration of the democratic process and decision-making at local authority level has been warmly welcomed by everybody.

I appreciate the witnesses have taken on board most of the feedback we have made. I want to return to where we were in my earlier contribution. I fully accept the facility that exists for elective representatives to make an observation and the waiving of the fee and all of that. There is a certain inconsistency in how that is supplied between local authorities. There is that issue. It is important there is a uniformity of operation for local authority members in all our local authorities, more importantly now when these huge planning applications will be reverted with the decision-making taking place there.

The other function the statutory meeting provided was not just an opportunity for a discussion at an area level among the elected representatives. As those meetings were webcast, it was a very valuable resource for residents, representatives and people interested in the community to see a formal presentation made by professionals who were then able to answer informed questions from the elected representatives. The recording of those meetings and the availability of that information for local communities, I do not believe can be overstated. I appreciate there will be an eight-week timescale but I strongly urge that it is an element of the previous SHD process - which I have obviously argued strongly against - that is retained because it is valuable on a number of levels. The witnesses do not need to reply to me on this right now; I will not take up more time. That was the point I was trying to make. I thank the Chair for allowing me back in.