Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

I do not think the Minister of State and the Minister realise the enormity of this. There is a meeting this afternoon of the Association of County and City Councils across the street, and they are very upset about this. It is another removal of local democratic powers and it is wrong. The Minister of State was a hard-working councillor, and so was I. We know what we tried to do to represent our people. Is this not a backward step? He must get rid of it.

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