Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In amendment No. 26, we are looking for a strengthening of the language by replacing the word "consideration" with "approval". I note the Minister of State's intervention regarding the two distinct and discrete budget lines here and that is understood. Let me also acknowledge the very personal interest he has taken in shepherding this legislation through the Houses, probably crafting a lot of the language around this and thinking very deeply about this legislation. That is to be acknowledged, absolutely.

What we are seeking to do in amendment No. 26 is to reinforce the checks and balances mechanism. To be a little bit verbose about it and to exaggerate a case, let us say that we have a personality who is elected as mayor for a period of five years through the popular will of the people and that person takes on tendencies that become autocratic, narcissistic, or even totalitarian - I use all sorts of adjectives but I am exaggerating a point. What is to prevent the mayor from crafting a programme of his or her volition, for which ultimately there is a budget line and to which the members can only give consideration, which is not ad idemwith the spirit and wishes of the people who have given the mayor the mandate in the first instance? We have seen, chapter and verse, instances in political life where people start off well meaning and then a little bit of power goes to the ceann and all sorts of things happen. I acknowledge this is an exaggerated example but it is one which we are trying to allow or account for.

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