John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With regard to amendment No. 5, we accepted the purpose behind the Fianna Fáil amendment, which was to ensure that there would be a report published within two years which would reflect the outcome of the plebiscites that are to be held on the issue of directly elected mayors. Parliamentary draftsmen felt that the wording of the Fianna Fáil amendment was such that, if it were to be given its strict legal interpretation, a report would have to be produced on the holding of plebiscites as opposed to a report on their outcome. It is a tightening-up of the wording but the purpose of the amendment is to achieve the aim of Deputy Darragh O'Brien's amendment, which was to have a report produced containing and reflecting the outcome of the plebiscites.

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