The Minister comes with a Bill to continue in operation the transition arrangements that have been brought about in Dublin and Cork. I do not think that anybody will appreciate more than business men what the Commissioners have done towards relieving the burden of rates which press so heavily on their shoulders. I think they have administered the affairs of Dublin in a very creditable way, and have given general satisfaction. I think, also, that there will be a very large consensus of opinion among responsible citizens that, pending reorganisation, the present arrangements should be continued, but I do not think that the bulk of the citizens will contemplate the continuance indefinitely of the present position. If I may say so, the uprooting process, generally speaking, that has gone on in the country has created a state of apathy, and I think the greatest possible service that could be done to the country would be to get a revival of civic and national spirit among individuals throughout the country. That applies, I think, particularly to the city of Dublin to-day. It is, in my opinion, necessary for the Minister, or the Ministry, to give a lead to public opinion on this question as soon as possible, so that people can consider the whole question from their own standpoint before legislation is introduced here. I think that this House is very often legislating in advance of public opinion, and that makes it rather difficult for the ordinary citizen to take as much interest in the proceedings here as he would take if he felt he was more interested in the initiation or trend of legislation than he is at present.
I agree that the bulk of the people are at the moment disinclined to form definite opinions on this subject of the reorganisation of civic services. I do not think that members of this House ought to blame them, because it is a case of the old order changing. Nothing, however, has been put forward before them in a concrete form to take the place of that which has been knocked down. The longer that continues the more difficult it will be to get people to take an interest in reconstruction, which must, of necessity, take effect at an early date. If we are going to have civic administration of the areas involved in this Bill, the people will have to get back to a sense of personal responsibility in connection with it. Take the case of the Commissioners. They hold a meeting. They bring forward something that has been decided. When that is put into operation the people say that it is working well, but they do not take any personal interest in the initiation, or in the discussion of the pros and cons of the subject that is going to be dealt with. I do not know whether the Minister has come to any particular decision. I think he said that he is waiting for the report of the Greater Dublin Commission. What that Commission is going to contribute towards the problem is, of course, a matter that is not publicly known, but I think that whatever is in the mind of the Minister, or of the Ministry, on this matter, ought to be made public as soon as possible, and considerably in advance of any legislation that may take place in connection with it. I may say that the reason that the Commissioners have been so successful in Dublin has been that they found a state of affairs which was not very creditable to the old Corporation. That Corporation was elected on a franchise and had a constitution which would not, I think, be acceptable to the people with any reawakened sense of their civic responsibilities. What is going to evolve out of the position that has been created by the election of Commissioners? I think that if any guidance could be given on that matter it would be generally welcome. The Minister asks for a continuation of the Commissioner system for a further period which will run for a very considerable time. If the Minister gets that extension of time I will be very much concerned in what would probably happen, and that is that the extension of the period would delay the urgency of the problem with which I think the city of Dublin is at present faced.
It may be quite reasonable to continue the Commissioners as they are by a mere flourish of the pen, for another couple of years, but there ought to be, coupled with that, a statement that within a reasonable time we are going to know what is going to arise out of the change that has taken place. We must begin a new civic life in the city of Dublin, and we ought to know what general principles are going to underlie the legislation that is to alter the state of affairs that existed in the past. That is important, not so much as a matter of information to the Dáil, as a matter of information to the citizens. It is of importance that the uncertainty that confronts them should be dispelled. They should be able to look forward clearly. At present there is no looking forward. The sooner we know how the rebuilding of our civic organisation is to be set about the better for ourselves. I take no exception to the renewal of the powers of the Commissioners within any reasonable limits, but if it is to be simply a case of postponing a definite and urgent problem, I think this procedure will not serve its purpose.