Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the brief time available to me, I would like to articulate my view that the majority conclusion of the Smiddy report is fundamentally wrong in terms of the future of Cork City Council and Cork County Council. I happen to agree with the thrust of the minority grouping report, which is that cities drive regions. I think the amalgamation of Cork city and county councils would have a very negative impact on the capacity of the region to attract foreign direct investment into the future. I am particularly in favour of a governance structure for the city that would be focused on the development of the city in the cultural, economic and social spheres. I think the solution that has come forward is an unworkable one. I believe the Minister, Deputy Kelly, was unduly hasty in accepting this particular proposal. I note that one of his colleagues on the Government benches, Deputy Ciarán Lynch, has strongly criticised the officials in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. He has blamed that Department for the momentum towards the amalgamation process.

I disagreed with the decision of the Minister's predecessor, Phil Hogan, to abolish town councils. I still disagree with it. The Minister, Deputy Howlin, displayed breathtaking cynicism when he arrived on the scene and said that the decision to get rid of the urban and town councils was a bad mistake and that he would reinstate them if he had his way all over again. He suggested that the Labour Party might even consider reinstating them in a new Government. For how long more will the public be treated to this kind of theatrics and be taken for fools? This whole agenda is politically driven. The Minister, Deputy Kelly, has clearly driven this particular agenda in relation to Cork. I happen to know from talking to people in Kilkenny that the amalgamation of city and county is not working there.

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