Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I welcome the Bill on the directly elected mayor for Limerick, but I have to say that with a big caution. Really in this country we have the Civil Service and the county managers running the country. I am sick and tired of it. The time has come. I will give just one example of it. In Mayo today, two thirds of the business property in the county was revalued. For one third of these businesses their rates went up. These are small little businesses. Why are we paying rates to the council? They do not provide water or refuse services. In my county the council has not cut the hedges in the past two years, or since the new county manager came in. It never happened when I was on the town council, and I was also on the county council and in the Dáil at the one time. Some civil servant came up with a bright idea, with a weak Minister, that we would get rid of the dual mandate.

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