Gormley vows to reform local government

ENVIRONMENT Minister John Gormley wants to widen the powers of the state’s ethics watchdog to stamp out bad practice by local councillors.

Addressing the opening night of the Green Party’s annual conference in Dundalk last night, Mr Gormley said he was proposing to give the Standards in Public Office Commission “a greater role in policing local councils”.

“It is as much in councillors’ interests as everyone else’s interest. In all of these matters, I have just one motivation: delivering better local democracy which works for local people,” he said.