Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

I warmly welcome of the decision of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to proceed with a number of consultations on the Green Paper on local government reform. This is a very innovative measure. While I know we are running out of time in this session, certainly after summer when the consultations have been completed it would be opportune to indulge in a meaningful debate on local government, especially as it affects town local government. Many in this Chamber will realise that many towns that were previously villages have grown to be far larger than they used to be and therefore it would be meritorious for them to have a town council to give the people of those population centres a voice.

On a related matter I am very pleased to inform the Seanad that the Minister, Deputy Gormley, addressed this morning's meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to give his proposals on the compilation of the electoral register. He has warmly welcomed the report of the Oireachtas joint committee. That is a welcome development which I hope will resolve many of the difficulties we all know exist at election time. After elections we all complain about the deficiencies in the electoral register. Let us hope that will become a thing of the past.