Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)
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I fully agree with Senator Brennan's point about car parking in housing estates. We have had some very serious problems in north Kerry in that regard. When a private estate is being planned, architects will make sure that there is enough room for cars to be parked in a proper fashion without interfering with the flow of traffic and so forth. There is one particular housing estate in Listowel where it is quite difficult for two cars to pass one another and that is not right in the context of health and safety.

I apologise for being late but I had to attend another meeting. I welcome the representatives to our meeting and in particular, it is nice to see the city and county managers here as a recognisable force with whom we can deal. They were always able to identify us as public representatives. On the issue of representation for councillors, when the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland, AMAI, was subsumed I was concerned about what might happen in the future but, along with most of the public, I am impressed with the way things are shaping up. With the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG and the Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA, we have readily identifiable organisations representing local government and the councillors who have to work the system. Those two organisations seem to be working well together. I must give a special welcome to the General Secretary of the LAMA, my old friend, Bobby O'Connell. We were elected together 22 years ago.

I will not delay proceedings as I have to be back in the Seanad Chamber at 4.30 p.m. but I wish to assure all of the representative organisations that they have the goodwill of Senators. We will support them in every way we can with the new system. When I was elected to the county council it was like the wild west and anything went. We have seen the price we had to pay for that. Mr. Keating made a very valid point earlier which resonated with me. The new system will work because the people involved will make it work. The representatives here are at the coal face now and it is up to them. There was a famous councillor in Kerry called Danny Kissane who always finished up by saying, "Therefore, is". It is up to the councillors and the staff of the local authorities to work it out and I am sure they will.

I am available to meet the witnesses afterwards on a social basis.