Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by my leader, Senator Darragh O'Brien. I concur with my colleague, Senator Denis Landy, who quoted what the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, stated recently on town councils. I welcome the conversion of the Minister, Deputy Howlin, and the Labour Party, although not all members of the Labour Party, because Senator Landy was an advocate for the retention of town councils in this Chamber, as were many colleagues on this side of the House also. I would like to see those comments put into legislation for the next local government elections. People are only now beginning to realise the result of the loss of town councillors to their towns as they have nobody to make representations on their behalf. That has imposed a heavy workload on the reduced number of county councillors who have been elected to represent towns in addition to the wider catchment areas. I very much welcome the Minister's comments, even though it is a case of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.

I wish to briefly comment on and commend the Seanad Public Consultation Committee on its hearing last Monday on farm safety.