Assemblies are pointless

Europe foisted two regional assemblies on the Irish people in 1999.

The one for the border, midlands and western region has 29 members. The one for the southern and eastern region has 41 members. Local authorities nominated those members. The public does not have democratic ownership of these irrelevant, invisible assemblies.

Mary Hughes’s article, ‘Strategy will need space to breathe’ (Irish Examiner, July 10), was excellent. She reported that “following the Government’s ‘Putting People First’ reform package, three regional assembly areas are expected to be announced shortly.”