Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The elimination of the dual mandate as proposed will in itself bring about significant change to the local government system and allow for an influx of fresh blood, with the opportunity for councillors to participate in a fuller and more meangingful fashion with SPCs, information training and back up as well. We will also open the system to wider representation by women and young people. I genuinely feel these changes need time to bed down. The last thing I want to do is overload the system without proper review and consideration.

As I have already indicated, the Bill represents a single but important step in the process of renewing local government and a major change agenda will be promoted over the next few years. The role of councillors will be properly addressed within that context. Even though the changes were made in the last Bill, no power went with the directly elected mayor. If the council decided to do one thing, what would the mayor do, as he or she had no power to do anything as it stood? I am not wedded one way or the other but what is being done now is the correct approach.