John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to reassure the Senator that there are no turf wars at this stage. This time last year, just before the session ended, the Local Government Act went through this House and we hoped that would allow for the regulations to be drawn up. It turned out the amendment that was included in that Act only applied to the possibility of holding plebiscites in Gaeltacht areas. That was an oversight at the time. We do not want a situation where we hold a plebiscite and it is challenged and it is found there is no legal basis for it to be held. We firmly believe that local people should be able to have their voices heard on important matters like placenames.The Senator is correct. I find myself guilty of this as well. We have become lazy. I do not know who the Deputies were who could not find their way to Carlow. I reassure the House that I know my way to Carlow. They ended up 60 miles away. That is not much of a statement about their sense of direction.