Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I join my colleagues in congratulating Deputy Bacik. What a wonderful achievement for a wonderful person and politician. I said to her here last week, when she was sitting next to me and pushing her 12 or 13 amendments to the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill, most of which were not accepted by the Government, that this will no doubt be her last piece of important legislation in this House. Everyone wished her well and believed that this was her time and that she deserved to be recognised by the electorate. She achieved a resounding success and was the victor on the occasion of that by-election. I also join colleagues in congratulating all the other candidates to put themselves forward. I know some of them well and it takes courage to put one’s name on the ballot. It also takes courage to counteract scrutiny of a by-election. It is a very tough election for anyone who has ever stood in a by-election. Politicians had to put up with a lot of personal attacks and abuse in the campaign. It should be condemned and is unacceptable, but to be fair to the candidates, they handled it remarkably well. They will have another day and I have no doubt that we will see many of them in Leinster House in the future. That is the great thing about politics.

I also join in congratulating Independent Councillor Ian McGarvey a very happy 91st birthday. What a wonderful man. If we learn anything about politics, and we all talk about bringing new people into politics, but let us also help to support the retention of those already there. Ageism is well alive in politics. A teacher said to me the other day that she had just retired at 66 years of age and she is an active member of the INTO. She asked if I thought she had a place or role in local government. I said that of course she had. She has vast experience and I told her to put her name forward. We should always remember that older people also have a place in politics.

I wish to dwell on two issues and one is more power to local government. There is a particularly good article for those who may not have seen it in the Irish Independentby our Minister of State with responsibility for local government, Deputy Peter Burke. I recommend that all Members read it and they will see for themselves why I think it is so good. I thank and acknowledge the Government’s now final commitment that we are going to have an end to the strategic housing development policy, which did not work. Everybody said that it would not work. It was a disaster, however it was approached. The price is that the citizens had to pay and to go to the courts to vindicate their rights of engagement and, in most cases, they were successful. That was the wake-up call for the Government but I want to acknowledge that it happened.

Finally, we will take the Land Development Agency Bill later. I acknowledge the difficulties that the Leader has with her agenda but 135 minutes is tight for this important legislation. I accept and acknowledge that she has a tight schedule between now and the end of this week, which I will go along with. I ask Members who have city and county councillors in their parties to please support and in some way contribute to the debate on section 183 disposals. It is of great significance for their members and for everyone else in this House as to their political affiliations. I hope that we can stand in solidarity with one another today and send a clear message that we are not going to take the power of section 183 disposals in respect of land for the Land Development Agency away from our city and county councillors.We have the power. Let us exercise it.