Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like other Members, I wish to say we had a wonderful experience over the past number of days in terms of democracy, both local and international, as it happens. I pay tribute to the five Members of this House who put themselves forward as it is a huge task to run in any European campaign, as well as to the hundreds of people who put their names on ballot papers for local council elections around the country. I also pay particular tribute to a young man in my own area, Dan Carson, 22 years of age, who is now the youngest member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. After a recount, he was elected yesterday by a single vote, which tells anybody who is wondering if their vote counts that it absolutely does. The brother of one of the other candidates who was not successful, who went away on holidays last week will, I am sure, continue to have good relations with his brother, but will understand the value of a vote. We saw that in action. We were pleased in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown to have so many Fine Gael candidates returned. Everybody who ran in the Dún Laoghaire constituency for Fine Gael won a seat. That is a tribute to the strength of democracy at local level.

For those councillors taking their seats this month, we should be looking at what powers they have and how effective they can be in terms of the legislation that provides for their powers. They do not have enough power. Far too much power rests with officials who are not accountable the way they are at present. In this House, we should have a debate on what we can do to strengthen the powers of those elected at local level, to give them the tools they need to serve the communities they represent and for which they work so hard. Let us have debate and bring the Minister for local government in to see what we can do to strengthen the specific powers of democratically elected and democratically accountable people at local level.