Paul Bradford (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is debate, discussion and dialogue and oppositions are not only the people who say "No", but some of their opinions are taken on board. If we want to compare those so-called slimmed down parliaments, let us be realistic and consider what they are doing with their regional and local structures of government. I met the Austrian ambassador a number of months ago and he told me about the 3,000 units of local government they have in that small country. We can twist it any way we want but any country which has decided on a one-parliament route has strong effective and dynamic local government, which we certainly do not have.