Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will make some brief comments on the issues addressed by the Minister of State and the additional provisions that will go to committee in the proposed amendments. These are different from the substance of the Bill that we discussed some weeks ago. Any proposals which address the issue of rebalancing and enhancing powers for local government, in particular the elected members, or tackle challenging issues that have arisen in urban areas as a result of planning in recent years are to be welcomed. Anything that moves beyond normal thinking must also be welcomed. The Minister of State alluded to a number of challenging issues arising from urban sprawl across county boundaries. Anything that can be done in that respect has to be welcomed, especially considering the "Death of the Town" headline that screamed from the front page of the Irish Independentlast Friday. That provides an interesting backdrop to the deliberations on the remaining Stages of this Bill.

Mr. Stephen Purcell, in his report for the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, concluded that a perfect storm was brewing in towns because of the impact of rents, commercial rates, out-of-town shopping retail centres, online shopping and, wait for it, the impact of the abolition of town councils. The Minister of State will not agree with my view on the impact of that decision but, as the author of a detailed independent report commissioned by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland states, it impacted greatly on our towns. Perhaps the Minister of State will reflect on that point, rather than slapping it down every time I mention it, because it certainly has merit, as Mr. Purcell noted.

The impact of online shopping featured prominently in that report and it has hit our main streets greatly. This issue featured at a committee hearing in the House of Commons yesterday when the owner of Sports Direct, Mr. Mike Ashley, told Members of Parliament that the high streets in England, outside of the capital, are already dead. There are major challenges that need to be tackled head on. Anything we can do to promote urban spaces is to be welcomed.

On the composition of the proposed urban area committees, the non-voting members, who will not be elected members, will specialise in the areas of transport, housing, business and trade. Imaginative thinking is to be welcomed if it brings a different discourse to what needs to happen. There are challenges in the areas to which the Minister of State referred, including Athlone, Bray, Carlow and east Meath-Drogheda. We need to ensure the living space of citizens in all counties is enhanced and they have access to good public transport, housing and urban spaces. I hope that, as a result of these proposals, this will be an exciting time for local government and the discussions emanating from them will be positive.

On the issue of directly elected mayors, I welcome the move as extremely positive for democracy in Ireland. It will bring us into line with other democracies across the world, including countries in Europe and the United States. Even the smallest local towns in the US have contests to elect a mayor and the office is not shared out by political parties as the spoils of war during the term of a council. I hope the areas selected for the plebiscites, as outlined by the Minister of State, will be endorsed. I also hope that the pilot project, when it is reviewed in Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Galway, will be considered for expansion to other major urban areas and that we can embrace this style of local government.

I look forward to the day when large urban towns, including my home town of Navan where I was privileged to be the mayor, Trim, Drogheda and Dundalk will also have directly elected mayors. These should not be about someone having a title, wearing a gold chain or attending openings. What is to be genuinely welcomed about the proposal is that the plebiscite will ask whether certain functions of the chief executives of the local authorities in question should be transferred to their cathaoirligh. The Minister of State has spoken about this before. He is passionate about the local government system and wants this debate to take place. I hope change will be real and that it is embraced and endorsed and that there will be responsibility for local government. I also hope that those who secure this responsibility recognise that they are answerable to the people in a real and meaningful way. That will only be good for local governance. The period ahead is an exciting one. Its significance lies in the greater accountability it will deliver, with decisions being taken closer to the people. That will be welcomed by citizens and I hope it is firmly endorsed. When it comes to addressing these powers, I hope people understand that this will also increase their input into local government.

I welcome the amendments the Minister of State is bringing forward. I look forward to the resultant discussions. I hope the local government system will be further enhanced and strengthened. The urban area committees will be very interesting for the counties impacted. I hope those counties will recognise that this is an opportunity to address poor planning decisions. They have not emanated from badness but naturally from the current system. I hope we will be able to address some of the deficiencies present in larger urban areas and enhance living spaces for people through a diverse and different forum.

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