Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Dempsey, and Deputies Phelan, Ó Cuív and Howlin. Like the Cathaoirleach, I will use the opportunity to pay particular tribute to my colleague, Deputy Howlin, for 40-plus years in both Houses. On behalf of the Labour Party, it will be a very sad day when he no longer represents us as he has done so powerfully for the party and the people of Wexford.

I am touched by a number of comments by Deputy Howlin and other colleagues. The first is the statement that "local government impacts constantly on the work of every Oireachtas Member." That was true for me this morning, when I rang a number of council officials on my way to Dublin, but maybe therein lies the problem. It is taking up too much of the work of Oireachtas Members and councillors. Maybe that is something we should discuss more. Not for the first time, I heard Deputy Howlin speak of an apology relating to the 80 borough and town councils and the mistake that was made. I totally support his statement that it was a mistake.

I respectfully disagree with Deputy Phelan on this. When I talk to councillors, and when I was a councillor for 11 years, the issue that came up for me was the centralisation of the whole function of municipal districts and what happens when it comes to planning and financial advice. When we sit around with councillors - there are 40 in County Kildare - the conversation is about leaving it to the local person, yet that person has a vote on that function. That is wrong. The biggest issue is that local issues need to be decided at local level. That is what municipal districts have not done. Again, the problem I have seen in the functioning of municipal districts is that some people, at different levels in different municipal districts, vote against what local people or local representatives might decide. That has also created problems, not just in the local authority for the area where I live but others as well. We need to go back to those 80 borough and town councils.

I am also respectful of what Deputy Ó Cuív said about rural areas. I am from a relatively rural area. County councils and county council representatives did a lot of work, and handled the rural area very well, while the town councils reflected it. I spent five years on Athy Town Council before 2014 and the work there was terrific.

I have questions about three issues. All four speakers mentioned regional assemblies. Are they or are they not working? What role do our four very experienced representatives say those assemblies should play that they are not playing at present? Funding of regional assemblies is a major issue, which was highlighted by a number of speakers. Where should the funding come from for that? That leads me to my second question, which is funding of local authorities. Looking at the presentation by Dr. Nat O'Connor mentioned by Deputy Howlin, it referenced 10% of funding being spent at local level. As far as I concerned, that is a crying shame, when the average in the EU is 34% and it is 66% in Denmark. Where should that funding allocation come from? Deputy Phelan touched on this. Has local property tax worked? I have reservations on that. All four speakers have touched on the issue of representation, and Mr. Dempsey eloquently spoke about it. Are we representing all of society? Do we need full-time paid councillors? Maybe we could tease that out a little more. We need to look at where we need to work better on total representation of the new Ireland we have to ensure is fully represented at council level.