Jimmy Harte (Labour)

I may be missing something but we are discussing political reform in the Údarás area. We spoke about selecting people from the county councils to act in this regard, yet we are in a Chamber whose Members are selected in the same manner by councillors. The Minister's point is that it would be wrong to say that Senators are not democratically accountable to anyone because they are not directly elected. I do not live in a Gaeltacht area, and I accept the bona fides of the concerns expressed by both Opposition Members, and the Minister's concerns, but having been a member of Donegal County Council for many years I am aware that the parties are not as political as they used to be and would be responsible in appointing people to Gaeltacht and Údarás boards.