‘Pulling down shutters’ on Councils

Regarding the Government’s proposed abolition of all of the country’s town councils, I believe abolition is no substitute for reform. The Putting People First document is in fact putting people last and is a move away from the present model of local government to a centralised system.

Of course reform is needed and population centres such as Bandon, Bantry, Ballincollig, Carrigaline, Dunmanway and Blarney should have had their own town councils may years ago. If we are serious about a bottom-up approach to local government, then going down the road to eliminating town councils is certainly not the way forward. We need to strengthen the structures of rural Ireland and not diminish them entirely. Where do the principles of the European Charter for Local Self Government, ratified by Ireland in 2002, stand in all of this? This charter specifically mentions town councils.

If we look at the record of service to the community down through the decades, as demonstrated by successive town councils, such as Clonakilty, we will find a model of an effective and efficient local forum administered by local public representatives whose overriding considerations were always for the greater good of the community and a pride of place.