Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 3, line 18, to delete "from being elected or co-opted to, or".

An Oireachtas Member should be allowed to run in local government elections. This Bill provides that Oireachtas Members must first give up their seats in the House before they run in local elections. If they fail to be elected to a local authority, they end up without any mandate. At all other political levels, a Member is allowed to keep his or her seat. For example, Deputies can run in the European Parliamentary elections and still retain a seat in the Dáil. If successful, they can then decide to stand down from the Dáil. Similarly, county councillors can run for the Dáil or the Seanad without giving up their local authority seat.

This is a profoundly unfair proposal which will prevent national politicians from transferring to local government level, yet moves from local to national, and national to European levels can be made. The Minister has stated in the House, both today and at Committee Stage, that he could not foresee someone wanting to move from national to local government level. I give the example of Ken Livingstone, who transferred from national politics to local government level. Why is it so unforeseeable? If we value local government and if, as the Minister has said in previous debates on this Bill, it will be reformed and made more attractive, why would someone not want to transfer from national to local government level?

Some Senators may be here for only one term and as they are now precluded from running in the next local election they could find themselves after the next general election without a seat in either the Seanad or in local government. It is very difficult to get back to local government level and that is very unfair. The Minister has mentioned the plans at European level. I am sure the Government will not force a Deputy to give up his or her seat before going to the European Parliament, so why should that happen in relation to an Oireachtas Member running for local government?

I will be interested in hearing the Minister's comments.