Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I am at a loss. I know this Minister a long time and he is one of the more agreeable members of the Government. We have snarled at each other on occasions, but he is still one of the more agreeable ones. I am astonished that he says there is no way of drafting this. He could, for instance, put into this section, "entitled under the standing orders of the local authority from which the Authority would seek planning permission" and exclude those members if he wants to. I am not sure where the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel is or whether it exists. It reminds me of Harry Potter sometimes. I think one has to get on platform 9b to find it. However, I gather it exists and somebody there picked the moment when local authority members were getting a rough time at tribunals and decided this was the time to stick in this provision. I do not accept it, but there is some argument as regards Fingal or whatever county council.. To suggest, however, that a member of Athy Town Council — I happen to know that town fairly well — who is otherwise qualified, competent and perhaps potentially very good, should be excluded is entirely disproportionate. To suggest that somebody the Minister appoints to this authority and wants to do some work in the local area either as an independent or as a member of a political party should automatically disqualify himself or herself from membership of an authority like this or any equivalent body, is disproportionate also. I believe this was sprung on the Minister, it is late in the year and should not be pursued any further.