I apologise to Deputy Barry.

Deputy Bacik has spoken extensively on the two amendments before us. I do not wish to repeat many of those points. However, there are some points regarding process that I would like to place on the record. There was a citizens' assembly and the convening of a special committee which did Trojan work here in the Dáil and came up with a set of recommendations and we now fast-forward to the legislation before us. There was a request last week by the Minister to waive pre-legislative scrutiny on this. The committee divi…

-----but her words have serious meaning. The kernel of what I am saying is that we want more time. We, as a Parliament, deserve the respect of being given more time on this issue. We set up the pre-legislative scrutiny structure. It is the appropriate mechanism, through the committee, to examine these issues further. We have been disrespected in that regard as a result of the desire to meet the deadline, which has been - I will again choose my words carefully - ridiculed by people in this House, of International Wo…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I shall make the point nonetheless and hope the Minister will reply. The word "teaghlach", which is incorporated within the amendment to which we are speaking, means "household" as well as "family". If it is interpreted as "household", these terms may be read quite differently by the courts compared with the English terms that are before us. That point is worth making, and I invite the Minister to respond to it. Unfortunately, there will be little time for him to reply to all the points…

I thank the Deputy. I will now go to the Government side. I understand the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, is sharing the slot.

I thank the Minister of State. I will now move to People Before Profit-Solidarity and call Deputy Bríd Smith.

Hear, hear.

Insofar as it is appropriate for me to do so in light of what is before us, I welcome the changes proposed by the RHA, albeit that this is a rather idiosyncratic method of endorsing those changes. Any move by the RHA to broaden its membership to include younger artists must be welcomed. One is hopeful that the new members who will come under its purview will embrace many new forms of art and media. That is a personal opinion, but I think it is one that would tally with the movements we see in art across the globe a…

I move amendment No. 12: In page 15, line 23, to delete “The director general” and substitute “The Mayor in consultation with the director general”. The rationale for this amendment is that on Second Stage, our party leader, Deputy Bacik, quoted from an editorial by our colleague, Limerick city councillor Conor Sheehan, who argued that this legislation must create a real and substantive role for a directly elected mayor. While we are all grateful to the public servants who work in local authorities and elsewhere, t…

We could argue that the mayor will be spancelled before he or she ever receives a mandate. Let us call a spade a spade. Limerick politics are cut and thrust; they are pugilistic betimes, no more than in any other city in Ireland. The idea that there will be a wonderfully seamless relationship between the director general and the mayor of the city is a bit naive and we are not buying it. A good mayor will punch back, and I mean that in the most respectful way and in the spirit of Limerick politics. There is an overc…

I will speak to amendments Nos. 25 and 26. Amendment No. 25 relates to the frequency with which the consultative forum shall meet. In section 30, the Bill provides that a forum be established "known as the Limerick Mayoral and Government Consultative Forum ... to advise the Minister in relation to any matter that affects, or is likely to affect, Limerick or the performance of the functions of the Mayor". We in the Labour Party propose that the meetings should take place quarterly rather than biannually, as is curre…

In amendment No. 26, we are looking for a strengthening of the language by replacing the word "consideration" with "approval". I note the Minister of State's intervention regarding the two distinct and discrete budget lines here and that is understood. Let me also acknowledge the very personal interest he has taken in shepherding this legislation through the Houses, probably crafting a lot of the language around this and thinking very deeply about this legislation. That is to be acknowledged, absolutely. What we ar…

I move amendment No. 25: In page 22, lines 2 and 3, to delete “twice in each year at intervals of not less than 5, and not more than 7, months,” and substitute “quarterly in each year at intervals of not more than 3 months,”.

I move amendment No. 26: In page 22, line 16, to delete “consideration” and substitute “approval”.

I move amendment No. 29: In page 23, to delete lines 5 and 6 and substitute the following: “(b) a representative group of members of Limerick City and County Council appointed by the d’Hondt system, and”. This amendment deals with the composition of the Limerick mayoral advisory and implementation committee as contained in section 32 of the Bill. The function of the committee is to operate as a quasi-cabinet overseeing matters of importance to Limerick. We in the Labour Party are proposing the adoption of the D'Hon…

The Minister of State made a point about the possibility of somebody who is an Independent, or maybe not of politics heretofore, being elected. That might emerge to include hurling managers, all-stars, rugby stars or whoever.

That is accepted. It is self-evident and an obvious thing for the Minister of State to say. We understand that point. The application of a d'Hondt system would have buttressed somebody who is an Independent, per the Minister of State's point. He talked about checks and balances but there still has to be a check and balance against a popularly elected mayor. I may have exaggerated the previous points I made with respect to the type of person that might emerge, but five years is a long mandate. If, after two years, t…

Sorry, I know that time is ticking on. How does a member of an advisory group or panel perceive himself or herself in terms of the power he or she has or does not have? If a person is elected mayor tomorrow and appoints me as an adviser to that group, how do I perceive my role? The Minister of State is setting it out in statute here that there is an advisory panel. How does he or she perceive his or her power if he or she does not have a mandate directly? I know that I am covering for others on this legislation but…

Will the Minister of State accept a point of order?

Am I in order to make a point about-----