Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Following the Order of Business this morning, we will have the launch of the Seanad public consultation report on the future of local democracy, which was chaired by the Leas-Chathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly. I acted as rapporteur for this report and several Members of the Seanad were part of it, including Senator Victor Boyhan, who is present. It involved extensive work and was launched in the summer of 2023, when we put out a public call, not just to local authority members but to members of the public, to engage with the committee to shape what they saw as the future of local government. A series of probing discussions took place in this Chamber with local authority members, officials and members of Northern Ireland local government, including members of the Unionist community, who came to, sat and spoke in this Chamber on a very significant day.

As a result of those extensive discussions, the report, which will be launched in the next half an hour, has set out the establishment of a local democracy task force, which will then seek the input of all political parties. I know this is something the Leas-Chathaoirleach, as Chairman, was very strong on. I hope the political parties will sign up in their manifestoes to back this report and seek the reforms that we are calling for. This will strengthen local democracy in Ireland, give the powers that are required to local authority members, ensure local authorities are properly financed, ensure the re-establishment of town councils, which were taken away under the guise of reform in a previous process, and ensure that the relevant Departments and agencies, of which there are a multiplicity in this country, are legally accountable to local authorities.

For most citizens in Ireland, their engagement with government is at local level, not central government level. Whether it be for facilities, housing, roads or infrastructure, their engagement with government is at local level. It is incumbent on us to make sure it is the finest local government they can have in Europe.