The Minister for the Environment faces a revolt by his own backbenchers if he presses ahead with plans to enforce a single mandate, and force sitting TDs to choose between a local authority and a Dail seat, the South Kerry TD and county councillor, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, has said.
"No TD in his or her right mind would accept this," said Mr Healy-Rae, who has held a seat in Kerry County Council since 1973. TDs from all parties as well as the four Independents were strongly opposed to Mr Dempsey's plans, he added.
Mr Healy-Rae said in Killarney it would be "very foolish" for a TD to give up a council seat as he or she would lose touch with constituents and local issues. "I am calling on the Minister now not to apply that condition, for the simple reason that nobody is going to accept it," he said. "I am running for the county council no matter what law is brought in."
A provision which would have prohibited chairmen of Oireachtas committees from running for council seats was removed before the 1999 local elections, following strong representations from Mr Healy-Rae to Mr Dempsey.