Labour TD Ciarán Lynch takes another swipe at Alan Kelly over Cork council merger

Senior Labour TD Ciarán Lynch has taken another apparent swipe at his party colleague Alan Kelly, saying the Department of Environment, over which Mr Kelly is minister, has done more to reduce the power of local government “than the British administration ever did in 800 years”.

Earlier this week, Mr Lynch, who is chairman of the Oireachtas banking inquiry, accused Mr Kelly of rushing to accept the majority findings of the Cork Local Government Review group, which recommended the merging of Cork city and county councils. He also said the local government review was hijacked by Mr Kelly’s department.

Last night, at the launch of the Labour Party’s 1916 centenary commemoration exhibition, Mr Lynch said the Department of the Environment had done more to reduce the power of local Government than the British administration ever did in 800 years.