Expectation to attend funerals putting 'huge pressure' on Kerry councillors

Aoife Thornton: "There's a huge expectation to be at all the funerals that are in your area, particularly in North Kerry"

The expectation to attend funerals every evening is putting "huge pressure" on councillors, a Kerry politician has said.

The claim was made by Fine Gael councillor Aoife Thornton, who is to step out of politics and will not contest the local elections in June. Ms Thornton, who topped the poll in 2019 in Listowel, is returning to her profession as a solicitor.

The former mayor of Listowel, who had been spoken of as an ideal Dáil candidate for Fine Gael, said she is very sad to leave politics.

"I have a young family and I also have a child with an intellectual disability where routine and structure is everything," she said on Tuesday.

She said the role of a councillor is hugely interesting and fulfilling but the lack of structure for those with families is a challenge.

The expectation to be at every event in the evenings is too much for her given her family circumstances.

Over the last year, Ms Thornton said she has struggled particularly with anti-social work.

Expectations 

"There's a lot of expectation in the role in terms of those evenings and what you are out doing," she said.

"There's a huge expectation to be at all the funerals that are in your area, particularly in North Kerry. That in itself adds a huge pressure. To get out every evening and attend all those funerals.

"There’s a huge expectation to be at everything that is on," Ms Thornton told Radio Kerry.

Being expected to attend funerals may also be a challenge for new entrants to politics, she also said.

Cllr Aoife Thornton said the role of a councillor is hugely interesting and fulfilling but the lack of structure for those with families is a challenge. File picture: Dominick Walsh 

"I would like to ask do people expect your county councillors to be at all those funerals, to be out every evening at everything that’s on, because if you do it will pose more of a challenge for people to come into the role," she said.

She added that it would open the door to more people if the public did not have such expectations.

Ms Thornton said she cannot get to many funerals and this is the case too for other people who have other commitments caring for family members.

"It’s an expectation. And it’s one I can’t fulfil. I have tried my best to attend as many as I can but it certainly adds to the pressure of the role."

With only five of its 33 councillors being women, Kerry does not have enough female representatives, she added.

Ms Thornton’s exit from politics is regarded as a further blow to Fine Gael in Kerry. She was widely being spoken of as a likely successor to TD Brendan Griffin.

The Irish Examiner first reported that Mr Griffin would not run in the next general election, citing family reasons.

A number of high-profile Kerry councillors have announced they will not run in the next election including Tralee's Jim Finuncane, Dingle's Seamus Cosai Fitzgerald and Kenmare's Patrick Connor-Scarteen.