Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I hear what the Senator is saying but the amendment attempts to amend the Bill now on the basis of what might happen in the future. It is not necessary at this stage. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has just published the Green Paper on local government reform and it includes a proposal for a directly elected mayor for the Dublin region who may become the chair of the Dublin Transport Authority. However, the Green Paper is the subject of consultations and the Minister, Deputy Gormley, has indicated that he will bring forward a White Paper on that issue later this year. Given that the process is at an early stage, it is premature to insert in the Bill a provision along the lines suggested. We should await the outcome of the process currently under way in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In any event, legislation will be required to give effect to the local government reform and the changes in the governance of the DTA will be implemented at that stage. That will be part of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Bill. What the Senator seeks in his amendment may be in order in the future but the process will happen outside of what he suggests. I ask him not to press the amendment.