Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This legislation is a missed opportunity. The Minister could have reduced the number of town councillors rather than abolish town councils as the latter option will result in practically no savings being made. Current staff will be subsumed into county councils and no one will lose his or her employment. Town councillors are very cost-effective as they are paid a pittance for the work they do. They provide leadership, which is an issue to which I will return when we reach the section on the dissolution of town councils. The Minister has lost sight of these facts.

Streamlining the membership of the councils will be a step in the right direction. I was a member of my area council, which currently has four members, when it had five members. The decision to increase the number to eight members will not improve outputs.