I should like to renew representations I made on the Second Stage yesterday to the Minister. As the Bill is at present drafted, an amendment which I submitted is outside its scope. As the measure is permissive, favourable consideration should be given to the inclusion of Dún Laoghaire Corporation in addition to the four county boroughs. Indeed, as the Minister himself remarked, if necessary, this measure could be amended later, to include not only the four county boroughs but also the county council areas, if that were deemed necessary. As the measure is permissive, it seems to me that there is no objection to an alteration of the Bill at this stage to include the corporation of Dún Laoghaire and to provide for its extension to county councils.
That in no way involves an obligation on any local authority to implement the proposals contained in the Bill but if a particular local authority or any number of local authorities wish to provide facilities for a concert hall or suitable assembly hall, it would enable them to do so. I believe that it would improve the measure and would avoid the necessity for amendment at a later stage. Dún Laoghaire is a very important tourist area. There are other towns, particularly Wexford, which was mentioned yesterday and where a very successful festival has been held for a number of years, where the facilities provided in the Bill might in future be availed of if power were taken in the Bill to enable the local authorities concerned to adopt it.