Resistance to Cork council amalgamations hots up

A group fighting the amalgamation of local councils is urging Cork councillors to visit areas which have suffered after merging.

Politicians have warned that resources have been slashed and social and economic development stunted following council amalgamations.

It comes as Flame (Former Local Authority Members Eire) moves to launch a constitutional challenge in a bid to reinstate local councils around the country.

The group claim the legislation was brought before the Dáil when there were only four deputies present and no vote was taken, which they believe is unconstitutional.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath described the amalgamation of councils as a “con job”and called on the elected members of Cork city and county councils to visit south Tipperary which has been “totally diminished” since both councils were amalgamated. A Cork Local Government Review Committee has recommended that a single authority cover city and county.

Mr McGrath said: “In March of this year Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin publicly described the abolition of over 80 town councils as his single greatest policy regret in over four years of Government.

“Those comments were then backed at the Labour Party conference by Minister Kelly [minister for the environment, community and local government]. That backing directly contradicts Minister Kelly’s blatant push now for similar ‘reform’ of local government in Cork.”

Independent TD Tom Fleming said it is now apparent that mergers have had serious consequences.

He said: “It was lost in the general run of austerity and the tough measures that were being carried out at the time but now we have seen it, we have 15 months of lack of this service in our towns and many of these towns are suffering with the rural decline aspect of it, I think that we need to revisit this matter and put them (councils) back in their rightful place.”

Niall Dennehy of Flame urged members of Cork city and county councils to look into the constitutionality of the legislation which gives the minister power to merge local authorities.