Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I will make a quick reply. Over the course of the debates on this Bill I am hearing contradictory remarks about the loss of local democracy and the handing over of powers to the OPC. What I spoke to Senator Flynn about was that local, democratic accountability around the delivery of Traveller accommodation, which is absolutely crucial. We cannot underestimate that. I also said that the Government's job is to ensure funding is in place for Traveller accommodation programmes. It is hugely important that when the LTACC does its work and presents its Traveller accommodation programme to the elected members, the elected members then have a responsibility to vote that Traveller accommodation in. That is absolutely local, democratic and accountable. If they do not do it, and there have been failures in the past, then that is absolutely right down to the local representatives. We have the LCDCs, and other new local government structures. I was not entirely a fan of some of the new structures that were brought in and it is fair to say that I would not have been a huge fan of the local government reforms that were introduced in 2014 either but there are elements that have worked well. They are about local, democratic accountability and it is really important to say that. I am hearing contradictory arguments saying that we are handing all of the power back to central government. I spent 16 years in local government and agree that it needs strengthening. There is no doubt about that but the elected members already have existing powers, responsibilities and functions and it is important that they carry those out. I say that specifically in relation to Traveller accommodation.