Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Unfortunately I was unable to be present yesterday because I was elsewhere. However, I have had an opportunity to read through the proceedings of the House so I have an idea where people were coming from in yesterday's debate. I thank Senator Jim Walsh for his very useful proposals which I will study carefully.

I emphasise to the House that I do not want to be completely prescriptive, but that I took from the Second Stage debate in this House that it was local authorities, as such, that we were concerned with, and that it was not to be done on a county development board basis. I understood that a direct engagement was preferred which reflected the importance of the mandate local authority members have, and that their participation in this committee process would be a central part of their role as local representatives rather than a clip-on addition to it.

I do not wish to be overly prescriptive as to how these committees should be formed. For instance, in my own area of Dublin, inner city forums are already in existence and we have area committees of Dublin City Council. It may make sense in one city to have an area committee as a sub-committee of one of these bodies but in another city one may have to put three areas together to do it. I will not try and think up a national model which has to be followed by everybody in every circumstance. I want this to be flexible and enabling but I do not want to be so vague as to leave it in the position that nobody does anything about it either. A balance needs to be struck.

I am grateful to the Members of this House for their considered contribution on this matter. I will bear it in mind and come forward with a response on Report Stage.