Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

It is a major task for me to follow two such formidable speakers. I hardly know where I am. I listened to Deputy Higgins speak about shy people. I am a very shy person — probably the least known Deputy in Tallaght — and must try to rise above it. This is a good debate and I am sorry I was not here to hear what Deputy Byrne had to say. I will pass on Deputy Lynch's good wishes to him.

Many issues could be raised in this important debate in which we all have an interest. I come from a background of having been a very happy local councillor. I was first elected, after much pushing and many efforts to stop me, to the then Dublin County Council in 1991 for the then Tallaght-Rathcoole electoral area. I was re-elected in 1999. People often commented that I was very happy with that position.

Some Deputies will know that I never expected to be a Deputy. It came as a shock to me when my colleague, Chris Flood, came to me in January 2000, just after I had recovered from a health problem which made me give thought to what I wanted to do for the future, and asked me to consider being a Deputy. I hope nobody here ever has a heart attack and has to make that sort of decision. I remember saying to Chris Flood and former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, that I might not want to be a Deputy because I was a very happy local councillor. However, they prevailed. I remember the former Taoiseach saying to me that if I was happy to take the grief with the job, I should go and do it.

I look back on my local authority days as a time I enjoyed. I also regard myself as a happy and content Deputy. I am very happy doing what I am doing. While there will always be plenty of people trying to get rid of me, I am here and prepared to make my contribution. Local authorities are a good grooming ground for Deputies, but not every local authority member makes it to the Dáil. I never expected to do so. It is good that we take an interest. Councillors from my area, who I will not name, will be telling people I am too busy now that I am a Deputy in Dáil Éireann and advising them to go to them, the councillors, instead. We must all deal with this.

The Ceann Comhairle will know that most of the calls received by Members, who deal with legislation and spend time in Dáil Éireann, concern local authorities. This is evident from an audit I carried out of the calls I received in my office over recent days. I hold eight local clinics in my constituency in Dublin South-West and note that I am still being asked to deal with a considerable number of local authority issues. Based on my local authority experience, people still want to deal with me because they still believe I can get the street lights fixed quicker than anyone else. I suspect it is the same in the Ceann Comhairle's constituency. I have often said that colleagues have come to this House in different ways, which is fair enough, but I believe local authority experience serves as a good grounding in politics. It is important that this be said.

Many issues could be referred to in this debate. The details of the spending limits to be enforced for the 2009 local elections, which are to be held in 86 days, were announced by the Minister in February. He told us the Bill will give effect to the limits and that it is scheduled to be dealt with this week and cleared in the Dáil. He also stated that, for the 34 county and city councils, a sliding scale with four separate spending limits, based on the population within each individual electoral area, will apply, and that a top limit of €15,000 will apply in the most populated areas, with limits of €13,000, €11,500 and €9,750 to apply to candidates in other county and city council electoral areas, depending on their population.

In south Dublin, particularly in the general Tallaght region, there are new electoral areas. These encompass Clondalkin, Lucan, Rathfarnham, Tallaght central and Tallaght south. Tallaght central, where I live and which stretches from the old Kingswood village by the Naas Road all the way through Tallaght to Templeogue, takes in houses in Dublin South West, Dublin Central and what was Mid County Dublin. The population of this electoral area is 59,306 and that of the Tallaght south electoral area, which takes in that area of Tallaght not in Tallaght central and stretches up the mountain to Bohernabreena and across to Firhouse, is 48,387. I am told the candidates' spending limit in both these areas will be at the top end, at €15,000.

Tallaght central, where I live, is the kind of place in which I would love to be a candidate. It is pretty diverse and at same time presents particular challenges pertaining to community development. The area encompassing Tallaght central, old Kingswood village, the Tallaght west estates, Springfield, where I live, Belgard, Kingswood, Kilnamanagh and Templeogue is almost like three separate constituencies. I wonder about the kind of reaction colleagues at the Dublin Central end, in Fortfield and Wainsford, etc., will receive when trying to convince people they are in Tallaght central. Did someone in the Department believe "Tallaght central" was an easy title and constituted an easy way to deal with the matter? Without wishing to be controversial, I believe the decision has consequences for community development. To use a Dublin phrase, candidates will have to "make bits of themselves" and their message will probably have to be different in all sections of their electoral areas. After the election, when the successful candidates are attempting to raise issues on the agendas of council meetings, it will certainly be a challenge. There is no question about this.

The challenges will be reflected in the turnout on 5 June. I wonder about the make-up of the six seats in Tallaght central. Will three seats reflect the Tallaght vote and three the Terenure-Templeogue vote, or will certain areas have a greater turnout than others, as happens? How will the seats be filled given that there is such a large electoral area with such a huge population, amounting to almost 60,000? Ultimately, will the voter be served properly? Tallaght south, which stretches from the west Tallaght estates to Aylesbury and Old Bawn and almost to the border with Rathfarnham, will be different again. There will be difficulties in this regard.

Let me refer to Tallaght, which I do not want to talk about too much. I am not expected to draw the Ceann Comhairle into any discussion but I must state Friday, 13 March 2009 will be a momentous day for Tallaght. The coming of Shamrock Rovers to Tallaght stadium, on its opening, will be celebrated by all. If Deputy Timmins is driving home at teatime, he will contend with a lot of traffic. Perhaps he will come to the match; I have a ticket if he wants to attend.

See this speech in context