Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that the Minister of State is answering on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Phil Hogan. I disagree, however, with the fundamental approach being taken. The Department can dress it up however it likes, but the reality is that we are seeing a stripping of powers from local authority members at both town and county level. This is of particular concern in a context where Irish Water is set to subsume all of the relevant functions for which councillors have formerly been responsible.

Where the town council model has worked well, towns throughout the country will, as a result of these proposals, lose an important local democratic forum. In addition, pressure will come on other areas within the extended rural electoral area because ratepayers and people in these areas will not be able to meet the demand-----