Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the discussion, which has been positive, but it is important that I clarify a number of matters raised. The staffing and resourcing of regional authorities is negotiated between the directors in the regional authorities and the individual county managers on the councils. That is the process, and I am confident that process will continue.

On the matter of regional authorities and their plans, the simple fact is that they do not have plans. There is not a regional authority plan. There are regional authority guidelines for county councils to take into consideration in developing their plans in the same way as there is a national spatial strategy. Senator Butler put his finger on it. It is a process of having a national spatial strategy. We have regional planning guidelines. This legislation does not in any way take away the powers of a local authority to do its plans. I am not giving extra powers to the regional authorities. Senator Coffey asked if they should be directly elected but that is a matter to be considered in the White Paper or legislation at another time. It will be dealt with next year and people can make an input then. I am not giving extra authority to regional authorities in this legislation. I am not taking away the authority of local authorities over their plans but it is sensible that we observe what is necessary in an overall context for an area. All of us in public life want to take the common good into consideration in development plans. The authority of local authority members remains.