Denis Landy (Labour)

I concur Senator Paul Coghlan in his comments on planning. The Minister of State's proposal to appoint an independent consultant is a positive step.

I again request the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to grant an extension of the deadline for the receipt of replies from local authority members in the local government reform questionnaire. It was sent in a strange way to elected members through county managers. At the close of business yesterday, the elected members of four local authorities still had not received it, despite the requirement to submit replies by next Friday. During a debate with the Minister of State in the House last week I requested her to bring this matter to the attention of the Minister. She assured me that she would and she did. At the time Senator Pat O'Neill was present and he assured me that he would also bring it to the Minister's attention. When I checked earlier, the Minister had still not responded. One of Senator David Cullinane's colleagues raised the issue with the Taoiseach in the Dáil yesterday who said he would respond by way of consultation with the Minister. The deadline has still not been extended. We are simply asking that the Minister, in view of the fact that some elected members have not yet received the questionnaire, to extend the deadline from 15 to 22 June. Furthermore, the methodology used in circulating the questionnaire via county managers to the elected members of both county and town councils was an insult to them. Every elected member has an e-mail address and the questionnaire should have been sent directly to them. There is a need to provide for a one week extension of the deadline to ensure an appropriate number of responses can be garnered on this important subject. Will the Leader bring this matter to the attention of the Minister?