Dempsey should take a closer look at schools
He presided over the preparation of a system of allowances for town councillors whereby the relativity established with county councillors in 1999 was set aside and the work of town local government was set at one-quarter of the county level (formerly one-half) while former town commissioners got a paltry one-eighth (formerly one-quarter).
This was no surprise in view of the accelerating transfer of power from town councils which will soon have fewer functions than tidy towns committees. Councils are now left with the meaningless title of mayor and some other trappings to cover the loss of control over housing, roads, water, refuse, etc.