Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)

It is our responsibility to ensure the constituents we represent are provided with a good service.

A significant number of practical issues must be addressed. For instance, constituency boundary areas are not coterminous with policing or health service areas, which means one finds it difficult to define where an area fits. There is no reason such practical matters cannot be addressed in the first instance, with a view to making life a little simpler for constituents and electors who are trying to identify who precisely they must contact in a particular set of circumstances.

In the constituency I share with Deputy Ó Snodaigh an extraordinary decision was taken to shift the boundaries of the local authority area. This resulted in one part of Drimnagh being transferred to the Ballyfermot area with the remainder left in Crumlin-Kimmage. This decision did not make sense. One must ask what is the driving force behind subdivisions of this type and why are practical matters of this nature not addressed. While the change has bedded down and people are slowly but surely being accustomed to it, questions are still being asked about whom one needs to contact to elicit certain information and whether for certain purposes one is in Drimnagh, Ballyfermot or the Crumlin-Kimmage area. This is a simple, practical issue which should have been addressed.

Given that the city is the place where we live, work, socialise and send our children to school, it is important that we get the legislation right on behalf of citizens. As it stands, the Bill will not tackle the fundamental issues that arise and contains too many gaps, especially in the area of accountability. Moreover, a significant problem arises with regard to duplication and we do not have any idea what form of budgeting facilities or services will be in place.

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