Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

I will give them plenty of time in order that they may have the appropriate locations from which to request a mandate from the people. They will have 17 or 18 months notice of where they will stand in the forthcoming local elections.

I expect to address local government reform in the next term rather than wait for constitutional conventions to report. I will do my utmost to set out the distinctive role of local government and how it should deliver local services through its local elected members and how it differs from central government. I will err on the side of maximum devolution of responsibility and function to local government.

I agree with Senator Maurice Cummins that clarity is needed in respect of enterprise function and microenterprise. The Government will make a decision next week or the following week on where county and city enterprise boards fit in and their relationship with local government. They are with Enterprise Ireland which has a role in terms of policy and funds county and city enterprise boards but has a client list. Through the business support units across the range of agencies, Departments and local government, we are anxious to give local authorities an opportunity to assist an individual who has an idea to bring that idea to fruition. We are anxious to assist with planning and identification of a site or a premises that may be appropriate to the scale of employment. Two or three people with an idea at local level can often get lost in the maze of agencies. The IDA and Enterprise Ireland deal with more advanced projects and endeavour to get opportunities for exports markets. What is lacking is support for the person who has an idea and wishes to get going in a rural area and whose idea may develop into a bigger opportunity for that business. Clarity on that issue is required and I hope it will be available in the next week or two.

Senator D'Arcy made a valid point on the number of councillors per population and how it varies in different parts of the country. For example, Carlow which has a significantly lower population than Wexford has more councillors than Wexford. Those issues will be addressed in the context of the boundary commission to be established for the local elections. A base level of representation is needed in the smaller counties and there is the geography dimension. Wexford is probably entitled to more representation given that it has a significant population to represent. Meath is another large county.

Senator Paul Bradford mentioned devolution from county council to sub-county. I agree with that. The new arrangements, on which we are working, will concentrate on giving the town and the area more autonomy and support in terms of function than at present. The municipal government structures, on which we are working, will have dedicated responsibilities and autonomy at local level. With regard to the local development plan, what would anybody in the northern part of a county understand about a local area plan in the southern part of the county? These decisions have to be made as close as possible to the citizen and elected members. That is only one example of what functions could be applied around a municipal government system that would make sense.

Cork is a large county. I am sure many have been asked in Mitchelstown to make decisions about Bantry and Skibbereen in the past. That is not fair because of the pressures it imposes but it is equally unfair to the local knowledge and nuances that would be required to implement an appropriate plan in an area that is a distance away from elected representatives.

I agree with Senator Paschal Mooney that we have a soviet system at national and local level, perhaps, where the level of centralisation is far too unhealthy for democracy and where citizens participation has contributed to providing some balance, rather than the membership of the local government or the membership of the Oireachtas. This issue needs to be addressed. Equally the power vested in officialdom in local government is not healthy in terms of local democracy. This has contributed to many people not participating at election time, and not standing for election across the spectrum of socio-economic and business groups to give a more holistic representation.