Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)

I move amendment No. 26:

In page 17, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following subsection:

"(2) Where the proposals submitted by bodies referred to in subsection (1) are not incorporated into the housing services plan, the housing authority shall furnish outline reasons for not incorporating those proposals.".

When proposals are invited by an agency acting on the public's behalf, the proposals are listed and the agency may find it agrees with some of the proposals while disagreeing with others. The amendment places a responsibility on a statutory agency, in this case a local authority, when it disagrees with a submission to outline its reasons for doing so. This requirement goes beyond good manners. It places a level of accountability on local authorities to read reports and to give a clear position as to why suggestions are not being adopted.

Under the Part 8 structure, reports are already done in that way. The pros and cons are thrashed out, summarised and included in a copy of the report so that local public representatives can inform themselves before they vote on the report in the council chamber. I have come across Part 8 proposals with which local officials may have disagreed but whose validity was upheld in the council chamber. This amendment is a model of good practice in how to consult with the public and how local government should interact with the general public. I ask the Minister of State to accept it.

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