John Minihan (Progressive Democrats)

I congratulate everyone who succeeded in the recent local elections. More importantly, I congratulate everyone who partook in the local elections regardless of the result, both the candidates and the public at large for coming out in such large numbers. It is a great test of one's calibre to put oneself before one's community and peers to face an electorate. It is very easy for those who do not put themselves above the parapet to be critical. It was a good day for the body politic that so many people contested the elections. I am not going to rise to the bait of warnings and advice given from members of the other side of the House. The reality is that we should be complimentary to our democratic system. Not all countries have a democratic system that works as effectively as ours and we should acknowledge that.