Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2022-04-28
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Barry Ward (FG), Industrial and Commercial Panel

I want to agree with Senator Malcolm Byrne. This is a clause that has been entered pro forma into legislation across the board for probably more than 15 years. It fundamentally ignores the fact that within local government, the membership of local authorities, there are councillors with great expertise in a whole range of areas. The Minister and I served on the same local authority. She and I know councillors throughout the country who have particular expertise and who could be of use, not just to the commission in this Bill, but in a whole range of other areas. However, they are excluded because there is this drive within central Government to exclude them from the membership of certain boards, commissions, etc. It is myopic, to be perfectly honest. It ignores the breadth of experience and expertise that we have at local level.
As was said, we are trying to encourage more people to get involved in local politics and local government. It is hard enough. It is not particularly rewarded or respected. This is just another indication of the low esteem in which central Government holds local government. It is wrong in no uncertain terms. I would encourage the Minister to look seriously at this amendment because, as I said, for 15 years or more, it appears to have been inserted in legislation as a matter of course. It is a shame and it is myopic.

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:50:23+00:00
Sitting date: 2022-04-28