Ms Kate Feeney:

I thank the Chairman and the committee for the time, engagement, and the questions this morning. I will just touch briefly on Deputy Haughey's question on the directly elected mayor, as he is the only Dublin-based Oireachtas Member present, while I acknowledge the presence of the sitting Lord Mayor of Dublin.

As a delegation we would struggle to come to a defined consensus and make a joint submission on this. We are 18 members in total with nine full members and nine alternate members. All political parties are represented and we have Independent members in the group too. While we wear the green jersey and speak with one voice when we are in Brussels, the debates are a little more interesting when we are at home and we would struggle to find a common message on that. I am glad the assembly has brought in mayors from different cities, and mayors with different structures and different executive powers. The way the assembly is being run is very good. Personally, I will make a submission but a joint submission will not be coming from the delegation in that regard.