Fiona O'Malley (Dún Laoghaire, Progressive Democrats)

For a political party to be taken seriously, it must adopt the policy locally that it espouses nationally. I need hardly remind Deputy Gilmore that the most important annual decision for councillors is probably the agreement of the estimates. In the case of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Fine Gael and Labour councillors endorsed the county manager's proposals without any effort to create a more acceptable waiver system. In 2005, the Labour Party members voted for a system that was less generous. That reeks of hypocrisy. Deputy Gilmore also knows that councillors have an opportunity to influence policy at estimates time, and they can refuse to adopt one. That also means that wheeling and dealing with the manager can operate, as it has in Dublin City Council, until a compromise is struck that is agreeable to both the manager and the councillors.

See this speech in context