As Senator Bannon and others have mentioned, we can see that more and more powers are being taken away from local government. The one reform which might have shifted power away the county manager and towards the elected and accountable public representative is being removed in this Bill. The abolition of the dual mandate indicates that the lack of regard for local democracy will continue. At national level, ultimately in Fianna Fáil, what is still left of social democracy, in the persons of the Oireachtas Members who are local authority members, will eventually disappear.