I move amendment No. 1:
In page 10, subsection (1), lines 41 to 43, and in page 11, lines 1 to 4, to delete paragraphs (d) to (g) and substitute the following:
"(d) is a member of either House of the Oireachtas, or"
This amendment relates to Members of both Houses holding the dual mandate. I realise there are many different opinions on this. This morning I acknowledged that under the Bill's provisions some Members of both Houses are prevented from being members of local authorities. I believe many provisions of this section are not acceptable. If all Oireachtas Members were debarred from membership of local authorities, the Minister would create a real distinction between the role of central Government and local government. The Minister is excluding certain people from local authority membership, many of whom would never take up such a position. The Second Commission on the Status of Women called on all political parties to eliminate the practice of the dual mandate. It felt that not only was this a gender issue but it would also enable more individuals, including more women, to participate as political representatives and would be a healthy development for democracy. I realise that some Members do not support my view on the dual mandate.
The Progressive Democrats believe it is necessary to establish the credibility of local government. Prohibiting Oireachtas Members from membership of local authorities would help to establish local government in its own right. The General Council of County Councils has spoken of the adverse impact on local government of the dual mandate system, under which up to 60 per cent of Members of Dáil Éireann are also members of local authorities. This is one of the weaknesses of the local government system.