Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Minister of State's statement. The work was completed in an incredibly efficient and professional way but also in a very engaging way. The task force report is not just representative of the local authorities, their members and their executives, but also of civil society. That is incredibly valuable and the Minister will value it. I just urge the Minister of State to go back to the Department and Minister and really encourage them to take action swiftly, to respond promptly to the task force's report and not to allow it gather dust because time is precious. It is moving on and we are living in a very changing world.

Every time there is a crisis in this country, the local authorities respond. They are the first to respond if there is a flood or any sort of event, so they deserve an urgent response from Government when they provide recommendations. They are approaching this in an incredibly constructive way. Their recommendations are strong and will be valuable. They will also not just serve the local authorities but our broader democracy as well.