Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)

The relevance is clear. The Minister of State was not in the Chamber when I introduced the context. If he had attended for my full contribution, Deputy Cuffe would not need to upset himself. The relevance was that there is a difference between a good idea and the implementation of legislation. I said a mayor is a good idea but the Government's management of the issue is bad. I cited a number of examples where the Greens had good ideas but failed to manage the legislative process.

This is trophy legislation but unfortunately it does not work. It is a missed opportunity at a time when the country, and Dublin in particular, could do with ideas that would deliver. I am not one of those who thinks Dublin has too much or Dublin has too little - Dublin is the engine of the economy, a third of the population live in the Dublin area and it forms a significant part of the tax base of the country, and a huge part of the industrial base. It is important to all of us that Dublin works to the best of its ability and that its political structures deliver. The potential a mayor for Dublin would have in making that structure work is huge but this Bill is a missed opportunity.

At every point in history when countries have been on their knees, potential has arisen and from it real political change has been achieved, be it after the Second World War with the creation of the NHS in Britain, or the New Deal after the Great Depression. Great ideas could come from this crisis but what is before the House tonight, regrettably, does not realise the ambitions people have.

I tabled an amendment on behalf of the Labour Party asking that Second Stage of the Bill be deferred for two years. I hope the Government will take on board the arguments we have made and that when we conclude Second Stage and vote on the amendment we see sense and the Bill will be deferred.

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