Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I represent the constituency of Roscommon-Galway and want to say a few words in the same vein as the previous speakers, Deputies Connolly and Ó Cuív.

I do not agree at all with the idea of a merger. I might be wrong, but the population of the city and county of Galway combined is in the region of 300,000. County Galway is 6,000 sq. km in size which is a huge area. Therefore, I do not agree that it should be represented by one entity. That would be a huge mistake, one I hope will not occur. It should be remembered that there are three separate constituencies, namely, Roscommon-Galway, Galway East and Galway West, which, in itself, is something of a record. The area I represent which includes the towns of Ballinasloe, Moylough, Mountbellew and Ballygar is vast and feels neglected.

The most important aspect is funding. I have attended meetings with Deputies Ó Cuív and Connolly, among others, and know what a massive issue the lack of funding is in the city and county. The Minister of State is well aware of this, as is the Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Kyne, having attended the meetings. It is vital that the issue of funding be addressed now. We are all aware of the severe financial position in the county and city. So much work that needs to be done cannot take place.

I support what has been said about the Bill by my two colleagues. There is also a need to establish a town council in Ballinasloe, a town with a population of 7,000. It is vital that towns like it have a town council. There is a lot of work to be done and a need for forward planning. However, I again say I am not in favour of a merger. It is the wrong way to go. County Galway is too vast and has too big a population. Having only one council to represent would help to make it more efficient. I agree with my colleague, Deputy Ó Cuív, that it is often the case that a small entity can be run much more efficiently and do more work.

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