Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

They have not introduced a development charge, or whatever one likes to call it. One can talk about macro-policy all one likes, but I know from my experience as a former member of a local authority that the instinct of certain parties on local authorities — I refer to parties with which Senator Phelan's party is anxious to coalesce — has always been to increase expenditure. They have never voted for a cut in local authority expenditure. They keep shouting and roaring for services here and there, but they have never made tough decisions on local authorities. Such decisions have always been left to the current Government parties.