Biggest revamp of local Government for more than a century mooted

THE Labour Party is proposing the most radical reform, re-organisation and re-mapping of Local Government in Ireland, since the present model was established in 1898, said Sligo Labour Alderman Declan Bree when he addressed a Press Conference in Dublin to launch Labour’s new proposals for the reform of Local Government.

Alderman Bree, who is the Chairman of the National Association of Labour Councillors, said that the reform of Ireland’s local government system was badly needed. “The Irish local government system is the most constrained, narrow-based and weakest system of local government in the E.U. At best, we have a system of local administration, through which un-elected County Managers make the executive decisions for our cities, towns and counties. This system was established in the 19th century, when we were still living in a British colony. It is not appropriate for the independent citizens of a modern republic.”

“In recent years, and especially under the current Government, the elected members of Councils have been stripped of their powers. Councillors have lost the power to make road plans, waste management plans, waste charges and most planning functions. City and County Managers have been given new powers, which are bordering on the dictatorial.” said Alderman Bree.

“Ultimately it is the people who have been left powerless, under the present system of Local Government, which is neither democratic nor local. The Labour Party is proposing a new modern system of local Government, which is more democratic and accountable and which will provide a better quality of service for the public.

“We are proposing a major devolution of Government functions from the national to regional and local authorities. Every Government department and State Agency should be examined to identify those functions which can be performed more effectively and appropriately at a more local level. Examples should include school buildings and school transport, the distribution of National Lottery funds, employment services and training, rural development, social welfare services and coastal zone management.

“We are proposing that all public services, including those provided by private bodies, should be made accountable to the public, through Local Councils. A new Public Services Accountability Bill should be enacted, which would oblige the providers of any public service, the holder of public licenses, or the recipients of public funding, to account to the local councils for the discharge of their public remit.”

“We believe the boundaries of many Local Authorities should be remapped to make them more relevant to modern needs. Where a dispute arises over Local Authority boundaries, the issue could be decided by vote of the people concerned, in a Local Plebiscite.

“We say Regional Authorities should be established, and would have overall responsibility for strategic planning, transport and traffic, economic development, health services and Communications infrastructure. The Regional Authorities would be directly elected, at the same time as Local Authorities.

“We are proposing that City Authorities could be established for the larger cities in the country, and/or Regional Authorities could be established for different regions, e.g. South-East or Mid-West. We propose the larger Town and Borough Councils, such as Sligo would be given the same status as County Councils.” Alderman Bree said.

“We are recommending that the position of County Manager should be abolished, and be replaced by a Council Chief Executive, who would be subject to the policy decisions made by the elected Council, and whose executive functions would be limited to those originally intended in the City and County Management Acts.

“And we are saying that the power of the Minister to abolish a Council and replace it with a Commissioner should be ended. Instead, where a Council fails to adopt an Annual Budget, the Council should stand suspended, and fresh elections should be held to elect a new Council for the remainder of the five year term.

“We believe that each Local Authority should have a Directly Elected Mayor, for the five year term of the Council and Mayors should be full-time.

“We say that as functions are devolved from the center to local level, the corresponding resources and finance should also be transferred. Rates should be levied on State owned property. There is no continuing justification for exempting State owned property from the rates regime which applies to privately owned businesses.

“We are also proposing that the right to vote at Local Elections should be extended to all over 16s.

“Essentially we are saying that the policy document we are publishing this week sets out a radical vision for making Irish local government relevant in the eyes of the people it is intended to serve”, said Alderman Bree.