Irish Examiner view: Micheál Martin's council proposal could help restore local democracy
Taoiseach Micheál Martin speaking during a commemoration at the Ahakista Memorial in West Cork to mark the 40th anniversary of the Air India disaster. Picture: Noel Sweeney/PA
In an interview with this newspaper, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he wishes to re-establish town councils across the country in the next three years. It is a bold move, as 80 town councils were abolished a decade ago to save money.
However, the Taoiseach made a strong case:
He bolstered his argument by stressing the importance of local democracy, but some obvious questions arise from this proposal.
Is there an inherent admission that the original abolition was incorrect, for instance?
It was notable that the Taoiseach would not be drawn on which towns which would see their councils restored. His comments on the changes in population can be illustrated with examples from his native Cork, where large towns such as Ballincollig have been absorbed into the greater Cork City area.
Should communities of that size be entitled to have a town council?
The question of how big a town should be to justify a council is likely to be a major debating point: If a minimum population is needed to restore a council, then communities which just fall short of that requirement are likely to feel disadvantaged.
It is also worth asking how these restored town councils will fit into the administrative framework which is already in place — how will they work with existing county councils, for instance, which have had years in which to streamline their operations?
The Taoiseach was not complimentary in his comments about civil servants who might see town councils as “another irritant”, adding:
While the convenience or personal tastes of civil service mandarins should not be the deciding factors when it comes to implementation of policy, do those civil servants have a point? If the return of town councils means the duplication of functions, dissatisfaction within counties, and conflict with existing administrative bodies, then “irritant” may become an understatement.
Older people and those with disabilities and debilitating conditions are at risk of neglect, financial abuse, and exploitation, with legislative changes urgently needed to protect them. That was the takeaway from Irish Examiner health correspondent Niamh Griffin’s report in these pages on warnings issued by the Irish Association of Social Workers and Safeguarding Ireland.
Safeguarding Ireland chairwoman Patricia Rickard-Clarke pointed out that it is over a year since the Law Reform Commission recommended plugging gaps in legislation to protect vulnerable people, but those changes have not been made.
The extent to which vulnerable people are being victimised can hardly be exaggerated.
Ms Rickard-Clarke pointed to the level of financial abuse within families, where there may be little oversight of who is drawing down state payments such as pensions.
This thesis was supported by Cork North Central Fine Gael TD Colm Burke, who said one of his elderly constituents had “over €100,000 taken in a 12-month time period." Mr Burke went on to say:
It is outrageous that such a lacuna should exist in our legal system, where someone can be exploited to this extent with no real prospect of redress. That the Law Reform Commission has pointed out the necessity of changing the legislation makes this situation even worse.
It is widely accepted that our population is ageing significantly, with more of us living longer.
That growing cohort of people is entitled to all the protections which law provides for and to urgency on the part of our legislators in drafting provisions to ensure that protection.
Recent revelations about the level of neglect in some of our nursing homes were discomfiting for all, and the fact that financial abuse of the type identified here can occur within families is equally disquieting. The sooner the law is changed to protect the vulnerable, the better.
As the country basks in sunshine, many readers will be heading for the seaside for relief from the heat — but others will be on the lookout for events such as music festivals for distraction.
One possibility might be the Munster Fleadh, which comes to Cork City this week for only the second time in the history of the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann festival.
From tomorrow, June 12, to Friday June 19, more than 15,000 visitors are expected, with over 3,000 musicians, dancers, singers, Gaeilgeoirí, lilters, and storytellers competing for provincial titles and to qualify for the All-Ireland Fleadh in Wexford.
There will be 176 competitions at MTU’s Bishopstown campus but a session trail, concerts, gig-rig, street entertainment competition, Fleadh Club, and trad disco means Irish traditional music will be brought to venues right across the city.
The week-long festival features a host of different events and gigs, with Community Fleadh offering storytelling, an ogham carving session, walking tour, scéalaíocht, pop-up Gaeltachtaí, and trad-rap collaboration. It promises to be an enjoyable few days.
In recent days, we have seen manifestations of other cultures on the island which, to be polite, are clearly meant to be intimidating and aggressive.
As a contrast, the Fleadh offers a combination of fun, music, and activities which literally have something for everyone. And a welcome for everyone.
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