Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am disappointed. I will be pushing this to a vote, partly because I have given a commitment to the city and county councils that I will pursue it. I went through the legislation line by line and thought really hard about this matter. This is where I stitched it in the provision because, as the Minister has rightly said, it allows the planning authority to engage with a community. All we are asking for is an explicit reference to elected members of local authorities. It is very simple. Instead of using the proposed mechanism, let us put a reference in primary legislation. Do we believe in the city and county councils? Do we really believe they have a role to play? Do we really believe they will not interfere with, or undermine, the system?Do we really believe they have a role to play? Do we really believe they will not interfere with or undermine the system? I believe in them. More importantly, the AILG and LAMA came before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government and made a very strong case for this. They are on the record and on the report for that meeting as having done so. I understand from talking to them as early as this morning that they were clear. Their understanding is that the executive took a decision. They submitted two papers to the committee and I gave a commitment at that committee that I would stand by them and support them. Ultimately, Members make decisions. I want to stand by the decision I made to them. The AILG and LAMA sought this in their submissions. They are representative bodies of the city and county councils. It is a reasonable request to allow this additional line including elected local authority members. I am somewhat surprised that we did not get that from the Minister, but that is his call. I will push this amendment to a roll call vote.