Seanad debates

Thursday, 13 February 2003

Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed).

 

We should remember that there has been massive economic growth in the State. Planning departments in local authorities were simply unable to function and we had to introduce a whole new range of expertise into local government at all levels in order that it could cope with the completely changed Ireland of today. We have enabled the setting up of SPCs within local authorities and the establishment of county development boards. I sit on a Cabinet subcommittee with my colleagues, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to look at operations run by quasi-State groups which are answerable to no one. It is wrong that should be the case. To me the ultimate arbiter is the elected representative and the local authority should be responsible for the distribution of the money. Those are the issues I am addressing.

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