Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

We should not forget we are changing the roles in the sense of enhancing the whole discipline of local government. We are giving it its own raison d'être in the context of its members. Its members will be just local authority members and we will be just Members of the Dáil and Seanad. We are making that separation and the system must be fair and efficient. I will not give Members of the Oireachtas a superior position to that of elected councillors because it would not be acceptable to anyone.