Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am representing Deputy Stanley, who had to attend a committee meeting. He asked me to represent him here. I know of his interest in this legislation.

I, too, was impressed by the number of amendments to the initial legislation that were accepted and I have no doubt that they will improve the quality of the Bill. We continue to have very serious misgivings not only about the thrust of the Bill but also the thinking behind it. Effectively, it means we are moving local elected representatives further from the people they represent. The same is happening with the bigger national and European electoral areas. It is all a process of moving people further from those who represent them. We will be vigilant in analysing the progress of this Bill but we recognise the great deal of hard work that has gone into it.

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