Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

When setting up a consultation process there is always a danger that one will have a rent-a-crowd in respect of whatever is the issue of the day. They could come from any part of the country into a local community on the basis of being whipped up to do so. I am trying to provide a structured opportunity, underpinned by statute, to ensure local authorities have discretion to have that information made available to the people, to have the consultation in a properly structured and respectful way and, at the end of the day, not to cut across the statutory responsibilities of the elected members but to ensure that all points of view are put across, not just those of people with vested interests. We are trying to put through legislation whereby the common good is respected and whereby, at the end of the day, councillors are properly informed by their constituents in a structured way, as they ultimately have to take responsibility for the decisions they make, not community groups. The guidelines, which will be robust, will be issued to local authorities in a practical way.

With regard to staff, I acknowledge that a cultural change is required by local authority management in certain areas where they need to go beyond the call of duty in very difficult situations that will arise in any community from time to time. Councils must be able to put their best foot forward in providing the necessary expertise and personnel to give information. I am heartened by some recent cases in which road issues or other major projects that are submitted directly to An Bord Pleanála and that would not normally go through the local authority structure for discussion are the subject of information meetings attended by staff. Again, it depends on the cultural mindset of the manager of the day to determine what is the appropriate level of engagement with the citizen. What I am providing for is based on the fact that the more information and the more structured consultation we can put in place the better.

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