Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

The Senator has double standards in this regard. One year he is for them and the next year he is against them. The Senator is in favour of them again.

The Minister has brought great clarity to the question. If one were to take it to its logical conclusion, as the Minister has done, what role would the directly elected mayor have in reality? He or she could be in a position where they would have no group supporting them within the council. They would then have separate policies and views from those of the county manager and councillors and would be isolated.

I will clarify the situation. The person from the largest area of population will have the best opportunity of getting elected. The person from the small, rural, north Roscommon villages of Keadue or Arigna would have great difficulty getting elected from a county-wide point of view.