Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for his visionary speech which offers optimism in terms of the future role of local authorities. I agree with him that an opportunistic policy decision was made in 1977 to abolish rates. As he stated, this has made local authorities increasingly dependent on central government in pleading for funding. It has seriously weakened the role of local authority members.

The reason the Minister is in the House today is that last week we met Councillor Hugh McElvaney, chairman of the Local Authority Members Association, LAMA; Councillor Noel Bourke, its general secretary, and other members. Councillor Enda McGloin from County Leitrim made a superb presentation on what he believed the role of local authority members should be and what they were seeking. Many Senators attended the meeting and there is cross-party agreement today.