Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree that decisions should be taken as close to the people as possible.

There are also opportunities at regional level to devolve functions from national level downwards, for example, in transportation and the building of schools. Many functions could be devolved from the various Ministries to regional level, an approach which would bring them closer to the people. What we would be looking at in this regard would be economic regions. In areas in Europe where such regions were developed, significant advantage has accrued.

With regard to town councillors who were formerly town commissioners, most of the funding for them came from an extra town charge. In the area with which I am most familiar, Leixlip, most of the funding would have come from a major multinational. These moneys were very well used in Leixlip, but they would not necessarily go to the county council. Nothing will be saved by the abolition of that town council and I am sure this will be replicated around the country.

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