Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Cummins. My experience with county development plans has always been a relatively positive one, and I have dealt with three. I do not believe anybody set out deliberately to curtail anybody, but the reality is that we can only deal with the words in the Bill. The Bill clearly states it is to be replaced. The mandatory requirement on the city and county council chief executives is now gone. Somebody thought this up and thought it was reasonable to change it. As Senator McDowell said, it was inserted for a purpose and, suddenly, it is being removed. There are lessons to be learned for the future, that we perhaps need more background information on the reason for the change.

It has been a good debate and I have one request of the Minister. I ask him to clarify the section, and I have asked for this four or five times, in respect of the absolute power of the chief executive in the first stages of the plan with regard to public consultation. Second, is he or are his officials aware if any representation was made on behalf of the County and City Management Association about this proposal? I have a good engagement with the association and I certainly intend to have further discussion with it in the coming days on it. There are minutes of such meetings and there is engagement. There was no engagement or consultation with the council representative bodies, but I have heard a suggestion that some members might have engaged. If that is the case, we should hear about it. We should know it and it should be entered into the debate. It is my intention to consider seeking further information under a freedom of information request on this matter, but it would be helpful at this early stage to have confirmation if any representations were made by any city or county chief executive, individually or collectively under the County and City Management Association, on the aspect of the legislation we are discussing now.