Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In the context of rules and procedures, there is a certain irony in how the rules of this institution can work peculiarly. Last week I was prevented from tabling an amendment to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2018 concerning the manner in which sexual assault trials were governed. I will certainly be appealing against that decision. In this instance, we practically have an entirely new Bill. The Government has that ability, but it is a significant departure. I appreciate that there is a timeline which has to be worked in terms of electoral registers. I do not particularly want to see any delay in the Bill’s progress because it has to be dealt with. However, it is far from ideal that spokespersons on local government or Cork Members have to deal with 30 pages of amendments at such short notice. I appreciate that the departmental officials have to do this. However, for many of us, these are our local authorities. The amendments concern the financial sustainability of our local authorities, with rules for development and local area plans. We will have less than 48 hours in which to digest all of the amendments and then decide on positions on Committee Stage. That is far from an ideal way of legislating and it puts us in a difficult position. If we are to have directly elected mayors, they need to have real powers. What is more, power does not need to be taken from councillors but from local authority chief executives. My priority is to ensure both Cork local authorities are financially sustainable and have a clear manner of progressing. I am not sure that the issue of city and county sheriffs has been properly addressed. Their responsibilities are important in terms of the register.

The Bill was published originally in August. Both Cork local authorities prepared detailed submissions which they sent to Cork Deputies, the Minister of State and the Department. They will not have an opportunity to respond to these significant amendments, not only on the plebiscites to be held and the urban area committees but also on the transition. With some of the amendments I will agree, but with some I will not. Ideally, they should have been dealt with in the Bill when it was published in August.

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