LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The reform of local government in Ireland is long overdue. We don’t really have local government in Ireland, only the local administration of the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government. Power must reside with the democratically elected public representatives and not with County Managers. The participation by local communities and groups in the policy formulation at local authority level must be enhanced. I have been a member of the Stategic Policy Committee on Planning, Development & Tourism from 1998 to 2001 and since then I have served as a Sectoral Representative on the SPC for Culture, Community Development & Amenities in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown. Clearly, the Strategic Policy Committees established by our local authorities have not in any significant manner fulfilled the hopes and aspirations of the Sectoral Representatives on these committees. Many have come to view the operation of the SPCs are merely rubber-stamping exercises with little meaningful debate or actual policy formulation. This is unfortunate as the initial concept of sectoral input in to County Council policy formulation in partnership with the elected public representatives offered many interesting opportunities for the development of our democracy at local level. Regrettably, many citizens have come to view the local authority system in Ireland solely in terms of the essential services provided by our City and County Councils. Local democracy and the valuable advocacy provided by our City and County Councillors is very often overshadowed by unpopular decisions taken by unelected officials on a range of issues from planning matters to imposition of refuse charges or the introduction of vehicle clamping regimes. A popular engagement with the whole concept of local governance in Ireland is urgently required and therefore, our elected public representatives on each local authority in Ireland must spearhead a campaign to have a democratically accountable system of local governance established in Ireland where power would firmly reside with the elected members on behalf of the people. The ideals as set forth in Article 28A of Bunreacht na hÉireann must be given meaningful expression by the repeal of the Local Government Act, 2001 and the introduction of new legislation to provide Ireland with a system of real local government for the first time since the foundation of the State. I strongly support and advocate the empowerment of the democratically elected City and County Councillors in the interest of democracy, accountability, public sevice and citizens at a local level throughout our Republic.

(pictured above, residents of central Dún Laoghaire protesting inside County Hall about the lack of any structured or meaningful consultation on the County Council's plans for their neighbourhood - the oldest in the Town Centre. Also, pictured the Arms of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council)