Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State's response did not address my question. He selectively quoted the Council of Europe but the chair of the monitoring committee of the Council specifically asked the Government not to pass the legislation until adequate consultation has taken place with local authorities. In regard to the principle of subsidiarity, the report recommended that the recommendation be revised in order to ensure that principle is better enshrined in and protected by law, to promote best practice in Irish public administration as set out in article 5 of the founding treaty.

On the issue of consultation, 14% of the Irish population live in areas governed by town councils. There is one town councillor for every 865 of these people. That ratio will now decrease to one councillor per 4,830 people. That is a major democratic shift. If the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government wants consultation, why has he failed to meet the elected members of Letterkenny Town Council despite umpteen requests? He was in Letterkenny last week but he failed to meet the members of the council. I attended a public meeting in the town on the issue and I am aware that similar views are being expressed in town councils all over the country. It is time for consultation not abolition. The people spoke on the Government's recent attempt to abolish the Seanad and I believe if the people in these towns were given an opportunity to speak, they would not agree with the Minister in this regard.