Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Could I please have your protection, Chairman, as I am discussing an issue with the delegation?

I have not resolved how to handle the situation in which there are a number of large towns in an area. One could pick any county where there are three or four substantial towns with a population of approximately 6,000. How do the witnesses envisage such towns being best represented? Is it the view of the AMAI that the hinterlands should be included in town and district councils? Could the witnesses elaborate a bit on the issue?

The points on the amendments are well made. I will not go through all of them. I agree with some and find others questionable. The amendments focus on devolving maximum power from the county to the municipal district. What powers and functions would the AMAI like to see devolved from central government to councils?

The powers of managers and their executive functions is a point of frustration for councillors. What executive powers would the delegates like to see transferred to councillors? Under the legislation, we will have chief executive officers instead of managers. On paper at least, it looks like there will be some shift of power. Obviously we welcome that because Sinn Féin supports reform. We see the need for real reform but we do not agree with the proposals in the Bill, particularly those that will result in the complete destruction of local democracy.

Where there are a number of administrative districts, in some cases five or six in a county, there will only be two representatives on the regional authorities. Not alone will smaller parties and Independents be squeezed out but whole districts could be squeezed out. For example, in Tipperary there could be five or six districts but only two of them would be represented on the regional authority. There will only be three regional authorities in total - one for the greater Dublin area and two others. Regional government will be a long way away from the district. I ask the delegates to comment on that.