Seanad debates
Wednesday, 5 March 2003
Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed).
I agree it is important for Oireachtas Members to have access to local issues. The bigger parties will have access through their councillors with regular meetings and briefings. Those of us in smaller parties who do not have a team of councillors behind us in our respective local authority could have a bigger problem in this regard. I am glad the Minister is to look more closely at providing greater access to local authority decisions, agendas, meetings, etc. I encourage Oireachtas Members to set up regular briefing sessions with their city or county managers. This will have a twofold purpose; the first is to be briefed and brought up to date, while the second will allow for a Deputy to work at national level, bringing forward issues that pertain to the area he or she represents.
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