Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I do not want to repeat the questions that have been asked by Deputy Broughan but I expect answers from the Minister in respect of the specific questions, namely, whether he will meet with the residents and show the sort of interest that should emanate from Government on this issue. Will the Minister of State respond to my query about the omission in today's announcement of local government reform of the appointment of a planning regulator, as was the wish of the Mahon tribunal? Has she any comment to make about the planning enforcement officers of local authorities throughout the country who cannot carry out the duties they were appointed to do by virtue of the lack of available funding through whatever guise, be it central Government funds or because their ability to raise funds themselves is not what it was some years ago? That being the case, how does she expect to address that issue? I am conscious that local authorities have been penalised in the third and fourth quarter in respect of central Government funds because of their inability to collect the household charge at the rate desired by the Government despite the fact the Government did not give them the tools to do that. Alternatively, had they been given advance notice, they might have done a better job than has been a case.

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