Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I support Senator Boyhan. Indeed, I signed the amendment as well. I am astonished that the former county councillors in the Chamber - I presume there are three - would support getting rid of the mandatory public meeting from the democratic process. The people of Ireland do not have much say anymore. The Covid health legislation and regulations that the Houses have introduced have proven that. Here we are once again attacking the little bit of power they have in the democratic process as regards what happens in their areas. We are telling them that we do not care what they think.

It is okay if someone can get online and is IT savvy, but there are 500,000 people in this country who cannot even read or write. People living on single farms might find roads being put through their lands. They do not know how to protest.

It is easy for big parties to tell the House that they can hold public meetings, but there could be an agenda behind every public meeting held by an elected official. There is no agenda when the county council holds public meetings. It is a council's role to do that and to inform the citizen about what is happening. When a party holds a public meeting, there is an agenda. One might not know what it is, but there is one. Not everyone will attend a public meeting run by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Green Party or an Independent. However, if it was run by a county council people would engage. They have engaged.

The measures the Government is introducing will exclude many people from the planning process. That is not what government is about. We are here because we were elected by the people. There are certain things that can get people elected - money or the power of the people. When it comes to local government and deciding what happens in their areas, all these people have is attending these public meetings and having their voices heard. Some will not write their views down, but they will walk in a door and have a word with the town planner or engineer, and their voices will be heard.

I am surprised that some of the Senators present want to disempower the citizens whom they represent. That is what this legislation does. Not holding a mandatory meeting does not empower the people. It is shameful.