Mr. Bobby O'Connell:

I thank Senator Davitt. I am in local politics now since 1985, which is 32 years and quite a long time. It is becoming more and more restrictive. When a Bill like this comes before us the implications are severe. At the moment local authorities are haemorrhaging young councillors. Local authorities and communities need young vibrant councillors. All these restrictions being put in by the Department make it complicit in this. They are trying to put a bush in every gap. Everywhere one turns there are more regulations. We get an average of €16,000 a year before tax. One will not feed oneself nor a family on that without another job. I cannot understand why it is being entertained in the Oireachtas. Most if not all in this room has probably come up through council level. The people in the Department know nothing about local government or what is involved. We have to be adjudicated on every five years when we go before the people. If we are not up to scratch, or even if we are doing a good job, we can be thrown out. I think that is the best barometer of all. Ninety-eight percent of councillors are compliant. We have to fill declaration form after declaration form every year. It is time that someone inside here in this big house just cried stop. These are draconian measures to us. We cannot afford it. We do not have the administrative backup to fill out all these forms. Members hardly have it themselves here in the Oireachtas. It is completely prohibitive for young councillors to come in. They come into every council chamber in Ireland to represent their communities. We need some support to support our communities. There is a lot in this Bill that is simply not going to work.