Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)

The people who are elected to local government should be given decision making powers so they can be responsible to voters. The way local government is funded is madness. Insufficient funds are made available and we have one of the weakest systems of local government and the most centralised government in western Europe, which is to the detriment of society. I agree with the proposal to divert a certain percentage of income tax to local authorities but they also need greater capacity for raising taxes at a local level. If people can connect taxes to the delivery of services, they will be more inclined to pay. I am out of time already. I will have to revisit the matter.

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