Results 3,501-3,520 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: -----the points we made in respect of this matter. I would appreciate it if the Minister would indicate whether I am wrong but-----

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: -----in my opinion local government is about the principle of subsidiarity. It revolves around delivering and administering services and ensuring that there is oversight in respect of them at the lowest level at which their delivery is effective. Another issue arises in the context of the transfer of executive powers and reserved functions to councils. I do not concur with the point the...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: I do not know of any councillor who would inform his or her constituents that remedial works in respect of water services or repairs to potholes in roads - which are quite common these days - are not functions of councils and that these are matters with which the executives must deal. The Minister for Health was just in the House and I am sure he would never state that huge hospital waiting...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: I am trying to give the Minister some food for thought so as to widen his vision of local government of reform.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: I support what has been said by Senator Cullinane. Looking at the shape of the local government system subsequent to this Bill, we will have regional city centres in many of the other regions, for example, Cork, Galway and Dublin. All economic indicators show the south east lagging behind the other regions. Unemployment is consistently high across the region. There is a need for greater...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: I do not think so.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: I listened carefully to what the Minister said. I agree with him that this is an important Bill. However, the changes being made in this Bill are not reform but a dismantling of local government. While some people believe it will have a positive impact on local government, I believe that impact will be negative, particularly in my region in that it will no longer have a focal point. I...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: The university has been on the agenda for a long time.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: I would welcome it. I campaigned with others from the region for the designation of Waterford Institute of Technology as a university. I believe that will be pivotal to the region. I am mindful that our third level education system has been deprived of the necessary resources to ensure its educational structures produce graduates that will be of a quality on which we can build our future...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: I am not. The section deals with the removal of the administrative centre of Waterford city, which is the capital of the region. That, to me, is a downgrading of the region.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: This means city councils will be working directly on behalf of the cities. If there is growth in Dublin, the whole hinterland of Dublin benefits. Likewise, Cork and Galway. The south east is being deprived of a centre, which causes me concern. I believe the scope within the local government system to attract major industries into particular towns and cities is being removed by this Bill....

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: The Senator should elaborate on that.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: A serious question was put to the Minister as to why he did not consider undertaking a plebiscite. It would be interesting for him to put a reply to that question on the record. That would seem to be a sensible approach, given that his disposition was to demolish all town councils, and he might have given consideration to the people being given the decision rather than the Minister.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: Like Dev, the Minister looked into his heart.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: The Minister has spoken for the people.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: This section sets out how many members each municipal council will have. Having gone through the Bill, the only changes I see are name changes. This is a superficial approach to improving local government. As I mentioned earlier, the number of county councillors in my own area will increase from 21 to 34. I suggest there is an optimum number of councillors that makes a council effective....

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: I do not wish to contribute to every section. I am trying to facilitate the passage of the Bill.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: This legislation is a missed opportunity. The Minister could have reduced the number of town councillors rather than abolish town councils as the latter option will result in practically no savings being made. Current staff will be subsumed into county councils and no one will lose his or her employment. Town councillors are very cost-effective as they are paid a pittance for the work they...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: I concur with what has been said by Senators Wilson and Cullinane in regard to this issue. I like many others here have served within the local government system, on both town councils, or urban district councils as they were, and county councils. The experience of many who served in that dual capacity would be that where town councils were properly empowered, they were an effective and...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Dec 2013)

Jim Walsh: The Minister is not rectifying it, he is just abolishing the whole thing. It is rather like trying to abolish the Seanad. The idea that reform means dismantling the process and replacing it with nothing is totally misguided from the point of view of local government. If anything, the economic collapse of the past five years has taught us that our political system is not up to meeting the...