Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will not ask any questions but will make a couple of comments on what we heard today. I thank everybody for coming in. This has been an informative discussion.

Deputy Murphy mentioned regional assemblies. It is a serious issue as to where they fit in the future of local government. I would love an answer from the Ministers of State on where Government sees regional assemblies. The last day the regional assemblies were in, we discussed serious concerns about their funding and taking funding from local authorities. That issue has been there for a long time and needs to be examined. Regional assemblies have an important cross-Border and cross-county function but, unfortunately, the press they have got has been worrying for them.

On the great job our councillors do, the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, made an important point on the reporting of council meetings and funding of it. My radio station, which Deputy Murphy will be familiar with, is Kfm. It gave every councillor a chance after a local authority meeting to outline footpaths, roads and whatever else, but that does not happen throughout the country. Through the elections of recent weeks, the one question was what a councillor does. There are a number of facets to that. People want to put their names forward because they think they can do a better job. We need reporting of what happens at local authority meetings. The Minister of State's idea around funding and supporting the press is important.

My colleague, Senator Casey, mentioned town teams. It works in certain places but I do not know who came up with the idea. It removes so many powers from those who put their name forward and are elected; people who are unelected seem to get many more powers. It is coming back from councillors across the political spectrum and the State that town teams are getting more powers than those who put their hands up to be elected. It needs to be addressed.