Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

If people see that they have power to implement decisions at local authority level, more people will be interested in participation. At present, that is not the case.

I hope that by the 2014 local elections people will see I am serious about giving more power, and with power comes responsibility. Equally they may have to make tough decisions. However, that is the essence of what we all do every day. That is not the case at local level because they do not have sufficient powers to make those tough decisions.