Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

Was the Minister of State listening to what I said at the beginning of my speech? I am talking about a much wider debate on total reform of local government which we do not find in the Bill. Can the Minister of State show me local government reform? While the Bill speaks about reform of local government, there is nothing in it about reform. The Minister says he wants to make local authority members full-time. He says he wants to do this and that but none of his reforms is contained in the Bill. Of the two Bills before the House, one is taking power away from local authority members while this one is doing away with the dual mandate. There is no reform. I am surprised that the Minister of States asks such a question. The Bill should be called the abolition of the dual mandate Bill because that is what it is.