Michael McCarthy (Labour)

I welcome the Minister to the House. This is wide-ranging legislation and there have been many fine contributions. There has been much debate about this matter in recent days and weeks.

Two years ago, there was massive opposition when the then Minister, Deputy Dempsey, attempted to introduce this legislation, especially from three Independent Deputies – one in particular – and that drove this issue out of the legislation. It was easy at that time to be in Opposition and to pledge support for a Government that wanted to abolish the dual mandate because it was known that the measure would not come in, and that a particular Deputy from Kerry was driving the issue. On that occasion, the opponents of this measure were successful.

I made my view known in the council chamber long before I had parliamentary status. I was a strong supporter of abolition of the mandate. One council area in Cork had two Deputies standing for three county council seats. That left just one seat uncontested by well established, hard working and high profile Deputies, which was grossly unfair to anybody who wished to come up through the system.

There is an argument that Senators should not be debarred from being members of local authorities, and I do not say that as a self-fulfilling prophecy. There is an intrinsic link between local government and the Upper House of the national Parliament.