First, I should like to thank Senators for their contributions to the debate. Perhaps I should say that some of the points made were not relevant to the Bill and I shall not be referring to them. Otherwise, I shall deal as far as possible with the points made and if I do overlook any of them, Members may raise them again on the Committee Stage, if appropriate.
Senator O'Toole and others said that this Bill which we are discussing cannot be considered as implementing major reforms in the local government area. That is not correct. A White Paper on Local Government Reform was published by the Opposition in 1971. The White Paper proposed the establishment of a single metropolitan authority for the entire Dublin area and widespread abolition of the smaller urban authorities around the country. These proposals and any subsequent proposals by the Opposition proved to be unacceptable to many and this speaks volumes in that area.
As I indicated in my Second Reading speech, any further delay in tackling the whole question of local government reform would be indefensible. The Government prepared a reform programme. Therefore, this Bill represents the first substantial step. It is important that there should be a series of steps. Surely nobody felt that the type of reform we are talking about could be implemented in one piece of legislation. The whole process is too great for that. We have been talking about it for the last 15 years. We postponed the elections last year to enable the Government and the Department to get on with the proposals. Right through the year we were getting many taunts that the election would not take place and that there would be no reform, that we were only procrastinating and that no election would take place in 1985. I have always said in the House that elections would take place in 1985 and they will take place. This is the first stage of the reform.
Basically, this Bill is necessary to get everything into place in order to have the elections. That is why I want the Bill. Again, I would like to thank the House for their co-operation. I want the Bill quickly so that we will have everything in place to enable us to have the elections in June. There still seems to be some misunderstanding in the House, amongst a number of speakers, regarding the whole question of reform. I clearly indicated in my opening statement that there were a number of measures involved. Firstly, the completion of the reorganisation of Dublin, including the transfer of functions to new councils and the setting up of a metropolitan council as a co-ordinating body, will be the subject of further legislation. Secondly, the additional legislation is in preparation to effect reforms and improvements in the organisation and procedures of local authorities. Thirdly, an examination is being conducted urgently of the means of effecting the substantive devolution of functions from the centre of local authorities so that any necessary statutory provisions may be included in the programme which I have outlined.
When we talk about reform we just do not talk about lines on maps or putting additional councils here or there. What Members of this House and the general public want is real reform. I believe that within central Government there are vast areas that should be devolved down to local authorities. A number of Senators clearly indicated today the need for housing grants, group water schemes and bylaws. There is a whole range within my own Department which will be devolved down. There are other areas. The area of education should be looked at to see what should be devolved down into the area of local authority. Look at social welfare and see if it could not be done on an agency basis so that people who have problems within a particular area can go to their local authority. The whole question of harbours must be examined. Should local authorities not be looking after them rather than central Government? The fact that parks, particularly in Dublin, are being looked after by central Government seems ludicrous to me. These are the things that I am talking about. I want to assure the House that we will have a package in regard to these and they will be out and on display before the local elections. The people will be able to make their minds up whether they have the desire to reform or not. That is important. We have a desire to reform and all sides of the House want this to happen as well. I want to assure all sides of the House that this type of reform will take place.
We will look also at the question of the ultra vires which inhibits managers from taking on added responsibilities because under the law they are not supposed to do so. Some of them do it. They may use that as a protection. We will look at the functions of managers. What should managers be in a local authority area? Senator Michael Higgins said that the late Mr. Seán Lemass indicated that they should be development people. They should be out there selling the county basically as a development prospect. I agree totally with that system. Managers should not be administrators. They should be people who are there developing the county, bringing industry into it, developing the tourist industry, developing all the indigenous industries in it. That is what a manager should be doing. Hopefully, when we get this sorted out that is the kind of thing we would have in mind.
We have also to look at the responsibilities of members and see what additional powers or responsibilities we can give them. If we get all of this devolving down, that by its very nature would give added responsibilities to the councillor. A number of speakers talked about the expenses and the question of postage costs and phone costs for members. I want to assure the House that in the package that will be looked at. I want to say that sincerely because as a former local authority member myself I have the greatest respect for members of local authorities. They do a tremendous job. They work very hard for long hours for no payment. They are an example to society in the way they dedicate themselves in such an effective way to serve people at local level.
