Keith Swanick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and commend Senator Ó Domhnaill on his initiative in introducing this legislation, which I wholeheartedly support. It sets out a new statutory framework for the reply to queries from local authority members.

We have discussed the public's connectivity and engagement with local politics. It is important that citizens feel that they are in touch with the local government system. They do that via a conduit, namely, the local authority member. I welcome that a binding obligation will be put in place whereby that member will have a full and comprehensive response from the local authority within 14 days. I also welcome the publication of league tables. Senator Craughwell will agree with me from his days in the teaching world that, regardless of what aspect of life one is in, be it the public sector or the private sector, competition fosters excellence. I know that from my own days in school, particularly medical school. As such, I welcome Senator Ó Domhnaill's decision to include quarterly published league tables in this legislation.

Major changes in councillors' conditions occurred with the geographical expansion of local authority areas. Consequently, councillors now cover broader areas and larger populations. This legislation would reflect the changes imposed on the councillors and empower them further, which is another reason to welcome it.

The Government wants to reduce the size of local electoral areas, LEAs, to between five and seven seats, with provision for some even smaller areas of three or four seats in sparsely populated locations, for example, where I live in north-west Mayo. This imposes further pressure on councillors in rural locations. As such, the Bill is apt and timely. As Senator Coffey stated, the Bill is about respecting our first line of democracy, namely, our councillors. I hope that the Government will support this pertinent legislation. I also hope for the Minister of State's acknowledgement that the Bill is supported by the AILG and LAMA.