Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Paddy Burke's amendment. The Senator has been labouring in the vineyard on this issue for the past 24 hours. The case is straightforward. There is a unanimous view on both sides of the House that we should not preclude councillors from being members of this authority — that is the net point. I suspect the Minister of State, in his deepest thoughts, agrees with us, so let us get on and accept the amendment.

It is often a question of a Minister standing up to the alleged official advice and to those who allegedly know better. One of the problems in this country is that we all stand back and watch the constant dumbing down of politics and politicians. We are the people who do this. We follow maniac advice from people who do not know a thing about politics and politicians. We are all responsible for this.

I have great respect for the Minister of State as a politician who is always close to his community and roots, and close to councillors. He know this business thoroughly, as one who represented the country in the European Parliament and serves as a Minister of State in this Government. I know he does not agree with this measure. I ask him to respond positively to the amendment.

One of the measures taken by the Minister, Deputy Dempsey, which I welcome, was the constitutional recognition of local government for the first time. A situation now arises whereby we will exclude a group of people who have been democratically elected by the people while we recognise their position and the position of local government in our Constitution. If ever a case was to be brought to the Supreme Court as an example of a direct form of discrimination, it is this.

Nobody is suggesting that there would be X number of places on the authority. There is no problem nowadays providing places on authorities for great celebrities. Some of these have done very well out of the State. However, when it comes to those elected by the plain people of Ireland, they are to be excluded.

I recently heard Gay Byrne speak on a television programme. Pat Kenny asked him when he would allow motorcycles to use quality bus corridors. He replied that he was considering the matter, that he hoped to get it done soon and that he would come back to Pat Kenny on it. It is a measure for which politicians have been calling for the past six years by way of Adjournment motions, parliamentary questions and all the rest of it, God help us.

We need to cop ourselves on. The Minister wants to accede to this request and I hope he does so. He should put to one side the great "I am's" of Irish politics, who know everything, and tell them he is not accepting their advice on this and that he will accept the amendment.