James Bannon (Fine Gael)

On Committee Stage I spoke at length, as did other Members, on the issue of the involvement of local authority members. Many Members entered the House through the local authority system and served their apprenticeship on local authorities for many years. That is where one learns the nuts and bolts of how local government, and national and international government, works.

I served as secretary of the Local Authority Members Association for five years and got a great insight into local government in practically every local authority in the country because during that period I organised a series of conferences relevant to issues discussed at local authority level. Ministers often participated in these conferences, on one occasion five Ministers participated in a conference. There was always a major input by local authority members. If one serves on any committee which serves local authority members, north or south of the Border, one gets a great insight into their thinking.

It is important that local authority members be given a role because they are the foot soldiers of the democratic system. All around us, we can see facilities that were put in place as a result of the work of locally-elected representatives, although they do not get the credit for it. Public lighting, footpaths, water and sewerage facilities are all provided by elected members. Local representatives have an ear to the ground. As I have said on many occasions, they are the voice of the people at local level, and long may that continue. It is true democracy, in which the views of local people are considered.

I am glad the Bill gives a role to local authority members and glad that the Minister will take their views on board. Most local authority members have sensible views. Two types of local authority meeting are the most important. One type is the meeting which concerns the preparation of a county development plan. Facilities should be put in place whereby local authority members can employ or be empowered to employ expertise when preparing submissions on a county development plan. This should be considered by the Minister.

The second important type of meeting within the local authority system is the budget meeting. If one is not tuned in when a budget is being prepared for a local authority, one can be sidelined. These meetings prepare budgets for, say, five-year plans for roads or three-year plans for housing. If one is not involved in the funding decision at the budget meeting, one can talk all one likes afterwards. If a member wants a scheme in operation or a new development in a particular area, it is important to tune in to what is happening at the budget meetings, which are the most important and relevant meetings of a local authority. While I am not dismissing the other monthly meetings or strategic meetings, I see the two types of meeting to which I referred as the most important.

I would appreciate if the Minister would consider accepting that local authority members could bring in——