Paul Bradford (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

What we are proposing now by way of local government reform maybe might make us more efficient from a financial perspective but if want to pretend that our new super council structures of so-called local government areas stretching 100 to 150 miles is local government, fair enough, but it is not.

If we believe in engagement with the people on politics, it is very difficult to say that fewer politicians produce better results. This will be at the core of the referendum debate. Thank God we have moved away from the silly argument about saving €20 million because it was gong to start becoming embarrassing when we could point out how it would be much easier to save not only €20 million but €30 million or €40 million by implementing some of our commitments in our party to reduce the Dáil by 20 Members. It is embarrassing to hear the answer that it would require a referendum to reduce 20 seats from the Dáil, but there is no difficulty in having a referendum to abolish the Seanad.

With regard to these fundamental questions of democracy and representation, let us bring it on, engage the people and accept the result. I am confident that when the people reflect on it they will vote for enhanced, stronger democracy, not for less democracy and these so-called experts, whether it be in the form of mini-Seanad or-----