Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)

I have submitted eight amendments and they are mainly aimed at having the consent of the Oireachtas and the relevant local authorities. Having spoken to members of local authorities pencilled in for amalgamation, there is a major information gap. No information is drifting down to the members elected by the citizenry of the local authority areas. The amendments also include the word "localisation". While there is talk about centralisation in the Bill and the amendments, there is no talk about localisation and the need for devolution of power to local level.

Sinn Féin supports the abolition of most of the bodies in section 8, except the two regeneration bodies. Bodies were set up over the years and some have become obsolete. What they are doing is questionable. Some of them are doing good work but can be amalgamated. We think that putting the two regeneration projects together and having them under a single unitary local authority structure of Limerick city and county will create difficulties. Councillors from rural areas, such as Abbeyfeale, will have to preside over the regeneration of Limerick city. There will be a disconnect between them.

Regarding amendment No. 15, concerning deputy county managers, one of the points Sinn Féin has been trying to make about local government is that it is top-heavy. Small local authorities have directors of services, some of whom have now taken early retirement, but there is provision for these positions. The Minister of State is proposing to appoint deputy county managers. Will the county manager manage two counties? It seems as if the proposal is to include a deputy county manager, meaning there will be the same number of managers and directors of services. This will increase the top-heavy nature of local authorities. A senior executive officer is sufficient for running each section of local authorities. There are as many layers in local authorities as there are skins on an onion. It is also very regimental, from grade 2 to grade 8. That needs to be simplified, with greater responsibility placed on senior executive officers who are well capable of running sections, whether the housing section or the roads section. Sharing services and resources makes sense in many cases and Sinn Féin supports it. The problem is when the structure is abolished, such as the merging of Waterford City Council and Waterford County Council. Sharing services and resources is a good idea.

I refer to the amalgamation proposals of the local government review group, which is not directly related to this Bill. It arose in discussion on Second Stage. A number of counties will be merged and while this Bill does not directly deal with it, Sinn Féin opposes the merger of a local authority in Laois Offaly. The county should be the primary unit of local government and should be strengthened. Amalgamating local authorities in Laois and Offaly means Graiguecullen and Shannon Harbour being in the same local authority area. They are 90 miles apart and, as I hold clinics in both, I know there is a long distance between them. It is a long way from the River Barrow in County Carlow to Shannon Harbour. It will not lead to efficient local government. The county structure needs to be improved upon. We want more functions devolved. Doing so would mean that local authorities will be busier and more efficient, which they should be. We must have efficient units but we should not tamper with the county structure.

Yesterday, I referred to the costs of amalgamation. In the North, local authorities are being reduced from 26 to 11 under the reform of public administration. No cost estimate has been carried out on such a project here. I met with councillors in the North recently and the cost will be massive. Amalgamation does not come cheap and one of the possible negative effects is where the Government seeks to dispose of assets or property. Everyone knows it is hard enough to give away property at the moment. That will not compensate or fill the gap in the costs. There will be a significant cost to amalgamation. Amalgamating Laois and Offaly county councils will cost a huge amount of money and lead to a spreading and scattering of resources and expertise. We need to keep the county structure in place.

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