Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

That is a really interesting take from today. That is what I want to say.

There were common asks between LAMA and the AILG, one of which concerns section 142 of the draft Bill. This relates to Part 8 . I will give a commitment to the witnesses that I will pursue that matter in the Seanad. It is a very valid reason. I am very familiar with the Part 8 process. That was an ask from the representative groups. I can only speak for myself. I will pursue the matter with my colleagues in the Seanad and the wider Oireachtas.

With regard to the rural planning guidelines, it is important to remember that we are not talking in a vacuum here. We currently have a Government in Leinster House that comprises the tripartite coalition of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party. It has a vast majority and, in effect, can do anything. Previously, we had an Administration led by Fine Gael and supported by Fianna Fáil by means of a confidence and supply arrangement. They are a long time at it. I want to leave the witnesses with a message. They are members of political parties, and their input carries enormous weight. Some of them sit on national executives. They operate within their own parliamentary parties.

I say this not to be overly political but we are in a political forum and some of us here are politicians. They need to crank up and lever up to let the Government know what they want. AILG and LAMA are representative bodies. Their members are in contact with them but they are also in contact with every one of us in here. Our emails are barometers of the opinion of the local elected representatives. The clear ask is that they feel local government councillors' roles are constantly undermined. I will not go into it here because I do not have the time and it is outside the remit of what we have here but constantly legislation is coming into these Houses which is diminishing the powers, functions and standing of city and county councils and that has to stop. In the context of the draft planning and development Bill, I am saying that they should go out there, mobilise, use and crank-up support with their membership and the political parties in these Houses because they will determine the outcome of this. We can have our engagement. It is important and meaningful. We will have our recommendations, which are also meaningful but these groups have the power and the function.

I always say about local authorities - I do not mean this to be preachy or knocking - that the councillors have so many powers and sometimes for some reason they are not exercised. Let us look at all the opportunities to exercise functions within our grasp. Councillor Sheahan might have a view on that.