The Government's legislative programme also includes, as Deputy Healy mentioned, local government reform but the only reform the Minister, Deputy Hogan, seems to be interested in is the amalgamation of South Tipperary and North Tipperary county councils.

Sorry, we are not dealing with-----

There are major fears in south Tipperary regarding this reform in terms of the financial position, jobs and amalgamations.

What we are dealing with is promised legislation-----

It is promised legislation in the programme for Government.

-----not the content of the legislation.

This is the only content we seem to get from the Minister. Apart from this and septic tanks, we get nothing else.

When will the local government reform Bill be ready?

We had a night in Kilkenny the other night, and it was not a nice night.

The Deputy must have been there.

Have they taken the Deputy back yet?

Would Members desist in order that we can hear the answer?

With regard to local government reform, the legislation to give effect to the education and training boards, which will unite Tipperary north and south, will be taken in this House in the next few weeks, unlike what was promised when the Deputy was supporting the party in opposition which intended to divide Tipperary into two.

I am proud of my past, although the Minister might not be proud of his.

To indicate the joined up thinking within this Government, local government reform will be undertaken in tandem with vocational education committee reform in order that the same geographical entity will apply for local government and VEC-education and training board purposes.

The Minister should speak to Senator Denis Landy.