Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I also think 20% is a very high threshold. It does not apply in Dublin but if those numbers were applied there, for example, I cannot even imagine how you would spearhead a campaign. The turnout in local elections in some parts of Dublin might not break 40% and the Minister of State is talking about generating a figure half of that for a petition. It essentially puts a threshold that is too high for any local authority to ever initiate the process. I ask the Minister of State to reflect on that figure specifically.

On the issue of the corporate policy group, CPG, I would not like a vote sprung on the council, in the sense that there is a random proposer, it is on the agenda and then suddenly it is voted on. I like the idea of a process beforehand, whether that is with the CPG or whether it comes through a strategic policy committee, SPC, stringing it out or giving more debate to it. I have no problem with that but I think the 20% is unachievable.