Mr. Charles Stanley-Smith:

The Tipperary PPN has always been independent. In some ways, we were fortunate that I was involved and that a number of other people involved in the initial discussions about PPNs and committees knew what needed to be done. We are independent because we employ our own resource workers and co-ordinators. They are not employed by the county council. We have formed a company, which has one of the longest names, County Tipperary Public Participation Network Operations Company. It is a company limited by guarantee, CLG, and is basically there to pay our resource workers. We have our own resource workers whom we employ ourselves. In many other networks, the resource workers are employed by the council, which can lead to difficulties. How can you participate if you are on both sides of the argument and if you are there as a council employee and as a representative of the PPN? The Tipperary PPN and I have always believed that independence was the way to go and we have been independent from the start. We have a very strong relationship and a very good working relationship with our local authority but we are not-----