I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, come before the House to explain the reports today on the intention to abolish Sligo County Council. It seems that a new Labour Party driven policy within the Government is dictating that provisions required for the assistance of communities throughout the country be ignored.

One would have assumed the Cabinet meeting yesterday dealt with the crisis in Irish Water, but instead, what has emerged from the meeting is the frustration of the Minister. It seems that a local authority which has already cut its staff by one third, had its central funding cut by 50% and has had to cut its services substantially now has a gun to its head and has been told it will be abolished and will get no assistance from central government if it cannot overcome its debt situation in the next two weeks. That is totally unacceptable. At a time when debate on Irish Water is taking place throughout the country but Labour Party Members of Government are not available to participate in that debate, one wonders why they should be so quick to take to the airwaves and put the gun to the heads of the people on smaller local authorities such as Sligo.

That is disgraceful.

It is unacceptable. We cannot allow the Labour Party in government to ensure Dublin does to Sligo and smaller counties what Brussels has done to Ireland.

Is the Senator joining UKIP?

It is disgraceful. It seems that following the Cabinet meeting yesterday, at which it is alleged the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, had quite a rant in frustration about Irish Water, he has taken that frustration out - through his fellow party member, our colleague Senator Susan O'Keeffe - on the regional airwaves today, and following a meeting held in secret last night for Government Members of the Oireachtas, this gun has been placed at the head of a local authority. We will vote today for the Minister to explain this, and again tomorrow if he is not available today. The local authorities of small counties of Ireland, unlike the larger local authorities with €100 million or more on deposit, as opposed to debt, following the centralising policies of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, will not stand by and let the Labour Party do to them what the Government has allowed Brussels do to the Irish people.

No surrender.

It is interesting that Senator Marc MacSharry has a remarkable capacity to know what happened at meetings at which he was not present. I did not realise he had the capacity to be in places where we could not see him. There is no denying that Sligo County Council is in crisis and has been for some time. The Minister did not have a secret meeting on this issue. If it had been a secret meeting, the Senator would not have known about it.

It was selective. I was not invited.

Senator Susan O'Keeffe to continue, without interruption.

The fact that Senator Marc MacSharry was not at it does not make it a secret meeting. We are in a serious position. The Minister has said he wants a solution to the finance issue in Sligo County Council. I have made clear that I believe we need a collaborative and coherent response to the debts of Sligo County Council. I do not believe we need a deadline, although I know why the deadline is in place. It is because that is when the council is due to meet to discuss the budgets. However, I do not believe that discussion will provide a coherent, collaborative and cogent response to the difficulties facing Sligo County Council. I made my position clear in public this morning and do so again now. It is a difficult position when a council faces the kind of debt faced by Sligo County Council. Nobody in this Chamber, not even Senator Marc MacSharry, would approve of any council carrying that kind of debt. However, there should be no rushing into a quick fix for a council that has had such tough times, is central to the activity of the county and puts in time and effort to try to build the county for a sustainable future. If, as we now find, there is a more positive approach in Sligo and people are working as hard as possible to try to build a future for the county, pulling the house down, particularly in short order, is not the correct approach. I know that the Minister is not intent on abolishing Sligo County Council, as Senator Marc MacSharry knows well.

That is what I was told he said.

The Senator was "told" he had said it.

The Senator was not the only one at the meeting.

I know that. Let us be clear. I asked him and he said he was not minded to abolish the council.

Let us get him in here.

I believe he will come.

Then support my amendment.

The suggestion the Minister and the Government are not concerned about Irish Water is a cheap shot.

They are not concerned about small local authorities.

Please allow Senator Susan O'Keeffe to speak without interruption.