Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is always my intention to turn it off before I come into the House. I again offer my apologies.

I ask the Minister of State to give some kind of commitment on rebalancing the democratic deficit in this area, sooner rather than later. Perhaps he might come back on Report Stage. There is an urgent need to address the democratic deficit in the greater Dublin area and in many other areas. A small area in Dublin for which the former Dublin Docklands Development Authority had responsibility creates 9% of the country's GDP. However, many of the local authority members from the greater Dublin area will be sidelined because once the metropolitan area strategic plan is passed, the four local authorities will be obliged to consider it in creating their development plans. The metropolitan area strategic plans will be decided by a very small number of regional members who have no natural affinity with those plans, which relate to Dublin, Cork or wherever. I look forward to the Minister of State's response.