The Bill is a disappointment and is not a part of real local government reform. Two years ago I praised the previous Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Dempsey, for introducing directly elected mayors. It is an insult to the electorate that his Bill abolishing the dual mandate and introducing directly elected mayors, which was not allowed to proceed because of political circumstances at the time, is being replaced by this Bill which does not allow for directly elected mayors. Of what is the current Minister afraid? There should be directly elected mayors in Dublin, Cork, the major towns and all county council areas. The Bill shies away from that. Directly elected mayors have been a huge success in London and other cities. The absence of a provision for them is one reason I am disappointed by the Bill.