Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)

Deputy Broughan did not on that occasion suggest that because the economy is in tatters we could not talk about animal rights, civil partnership or child abuse. We can talk about everything in this House. This is the forum where issues can be discussed. Just because we are overshadowed by a pressing fiscal crisis does not mean we cannot talk about other issues, including issues of vision that can get us out of the mess we are in. I make no apologies for doing so.

Let us address some of the issues. Fine Gael used the Fingal example saying this will cost €8 million. That report was discredited and Fingal County Council, FCC, admitted this. It then tried to drive a wedge between my party leader and myself. Deputy Gormley said it would not cost anything and I mentioned a cost of €5 million. I was referring to the running cost of an office, staff and so on. Most of the 30 employees will come from within the existing staff complement and, therefore, the cost will be much lower. The Dublin Regional Authority has offices in Swords and even if it relocates and the offices are sold, the cost will still not be great. The authority has staff and under this legislation, it will become a more powerful authority with 16 rather than 13 members who initially will be appointed from the constituent local authorities. However, it is part of the vision for local government reform in the programme for Government that these regional representatives will eventually be directly elected and they will have clout working in consultation with the mayor.

If the regional assembly does not set in train the strategic plan, the mayor will have the power to implement it. That is clear in the legislation. Currently, city and county managers are at odds with each other regarding how Dublin should be developed. The city manager is trying to the fight the change in Government strategy on incineration and councillors from various parties are saying, "This is terrible. Why isn't Minister Gormley stopping the incinerator?", while knowing full well that they voted for the damn regional waste policy in the first place several years ago.

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