Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)

Would it not be beneficial to protect in law conscientious employees and members of local authorities who wish to expose irregularities or corruption? We cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand and pretend such corruption does not exist. I had the privilege of being a member of a county and city council for many years. Serious lobbying takes place prior to the production of development plans. I adopted the principle of telling anyone who made representations on planning matters that I would not indicate my position until I had listened to the manager's report on the relevant issue. Councillors should be obliged to hear the county manager's report on all submissions related to development plans before making public commitments or adopting a position. As the Minister will be aware, officials must prepare a report on all submissions and councillors must not commit themselves to any course of action until they have heard the county manager make his or her report.

Council employees have a role to play in this regard, having frequently drawn my attention to various practices. In doing so, they told me they were not in a position to voice their concerns because they would face discrimination as a result or would be liable to face a charge for exposing issues which required investigation in a local authority. Such employees should be offered legal protection. This would improve matters and remove a difficulty members and employees of local authorities encounter in some circumstances, particularly in the area of planning.

Members of local authorities are placed under colossal pressure prior to the adoption of development plans which can increase land values from a couple of hundred thousand euro to several million euro. Those with responsibility for making such decisions are entitled to be protected should they expose irregularities.

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