Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, admitted that the housing issue is so great and important the local government issue is very much a secondary issue. The local government elections will take place next year. In light of the fact that there is consensus in this House on the restoration of town councils in some shape or form, not necessarily in the formulation of the Labour Party as presented tonight, will the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, commit to trying to have this Bill enacted in time for next year's elections, even if doing so requires the establishment of a special committee of the Houses if the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government is too busy? I will serve on that committee. I ask people to assist in making this transformation, which I believe will be an important restoration of our local government system and a real important step in reconnecting people who are increasingly disenfranchised and disconnected from the things that matter most to them.

When talking to people at the doors they speak about the small things such as anti-social behaviour, the state of the footpaths, the lights, the signage, the grass verges and all the issues that are the bread and butter of local government which people want to be able to contact their local representatives about. I ask the Minister of State to withdraw his amendment and allow this Bill to pass. I think that it will pass in any event and I thank all of the Deputies who supported it. Let us then make our best collective effort to do something right for local government.

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