Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

The truth hurts and Senator Bannon should deal with facts rather than mythology. Since the early 1990s successive Administrations have taken steps to modernise our local government system. We are beginning to see a local government system which shows signs of the kind of administrative system we need. The modernisation agenda of the past few years has given constitutional recognition to local government for the first time, which we should welcome.

We have introduced the single electoral mandate for local government which underlines the unique representational role of the elected member at local level. Some Members of this and the other House had different views on that measure but it has been introduced. We have also provided significantly more resources than at any time in the history of the State. The combined spend, current and capital, will be some €9 billion.

Management structures have also been strengthened. The range of matters over which councillors have direct influence is being extended to include river basin management plans and joint policing committees. As I have already indicated on Second Stage of the water services Bill 2003, I propose to bring forward a Government amendment to designate water services a policy issue for councils to decide. Elected members have a new role outlined in the strategic infrastructure Bill 2006, which I published last week, if Members opposite care to read it.

Local government's sphere of influence has also been widened through the county and city development boards. These boards have been established under the leadership of local government, bringing together all the relevant economic, social and community agencies. The policy-making role of local authorities has been enhanced with sectoral interests and community representatives supporting councillor input through the strategic policy committees. A value for money and efficiency agenda has been rolled out in local authorities and is the most advanced in public administration in Ireland. The activities of local authorities are increasingly being guided by a customer focus and the process will be widened and deepened. Local government must have a strong customer or client focus. A range of financial, training and other practical supports has been provided for local authorities to facilitate their effective participation in the modern local government process. To address the specific concerns of Senator Norris, a comprehensive ethics framework has applied since the beginning of 2003, placing a duty on every member and employee to maintain proper standards.

Linked to the phenomenal growth in economic activity over the last decade, there have been significant improvements by local authorities. For example, they determined some 76,000 planning decisions in 2005, reflecting a phenomenal increase in local government throughput in the past decade. Total housing completions in 2005 were at the record level of just over 81,000, significantly higher than when Senator Bannon's party was in power. The present output is 20 per 1,000 population, which is four times the EU average. Without a good and efficient local government system that would not be possible.