Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to agree with that. I had not intended to speak. I was not aware that the Minister would mention the Dublin Citizens' Assembly. I know what the Bill is about, relating to citizens' assemblies generally. I do not have a problem with public engagement. I will not oppose this and will support every Stage of it today. I will comment on matters raised in the Ministers' speech. We have an assembly in Dáil Éireann and in Seanad Éireann, and an assembly of elected people in both city and county councils. I do not have a problem with other layers of public engagement. I am all for consultation, open government and engagement. I will not get into the matter of the Dublin Citizens' Assembly because the scheme itself is not before us.

I ask the Minister to look, in an imaginative way, at how we and the Minister's Department can tap into the expertise of Dublin's councils with regard to the Dublin assembly. There is an important role for them. I know that the cynics will say they do not want a new system of mayors or form of local government for the city and county but they are elected and have a mandate and a view. It is important that that view feeds into this process, perhaps in parallel with this, and that it is a meaningful role, engagement and discussion. These people are freshly elected. They are there for a fixed term of five years. Many are members of the Minister's party and I know he values them as he values all city and county councillors. Specifically with regard to Dublin city and county, I ask the Minister to consider whether there is a meaningful way to tap into and engage with these elected members to feed into the Minister's and the Government's vision for local government reform, especially in the city and county of Dublin.