Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We - Fine Gael and Labour - were the first Government to give the community and voluntary sector a statutory remit in the local government system. Deputy Cullinane thinks that is a bad thing. We have respect for the local elected members, who were democratically elected and will be charged with the responsibility to discharge their functions and account for them in regard to disbursement of moneys and policy. They will also have to adopt, by a reserved function, the local economic and community plan. I do not see what is wrong with that.

I set up a working group, under the chairmanship of Fr. Seán Healy, ten weeks ago and got its report yesterday. Fr. Healy's committee, as Senator Ó Clochartaigh knows, consulted widely and I met with the community and voluntary sector myself recently. This group included Diarmuid Mulcahy, from the Senator's county.