Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The abolition of our town and borough councils in 2014, following the enactment of the Local Government Reform Act, was a sad day for democracy in Ireland. A total of 80 town and borough councils were abolished and 95 municipal districts were established. In my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, we lost eight town councils. When one considers that each of those had nine elected members, that amounted to a loss of 72 very committed public representatives of all parties and none. There were three such councils in County Cavan, namely, Cavan town, Belturbet and Cootehill and five councils in County Monaghan, namely, Monaghan town, Clones, Castleblaney, Carrickmacross and Ballybay.

The impact of abolition has been unprecedented. I do not believe there is another such example in the history of local government that has had a parallel impact. A partial vacuum has been created and our local communities have suffered. That is at the kernel of the consideration we have given to the proposition here before us this evening. It is a fact that local communities have suffered as a consequence. In my own personal capacity as an elected public representative, I have noticed a huge difference in the range of issues being referred to me due to the decrease in local representation. While my primary function as a Teachta Dála, and that of each of us here in this Chamber, is to legislate, I have noticed – it is apparent to every one of us - that since the abolition of local town councils more and more cases are being referred to us that would otherwise have been effectively dealt with by our town council colleagues. I acknowledge that we all do our level best to represent our constituents on whatever issue they raise, but our constituents and communities deserve more. They deserve access to locally domiciled voices who can, in turn, access local authority officials and services, and on every day of the week. Our communities deserve strong local government. As the saying goes, all politics is local, and for that reason we will support the Bill, which seeks to create a local government commission to carry out a review and make recommendations relating to the establishment and boundaries of a town council system and to provide for related matters.

Sinn Féin would have liked this proposition to go further because we recognise local government as we have known it is in need of real reform. That is accepted. We have always been vocal in that regard. We support strong city, county and local district councils with devolved powers that are democratic, accountable and deliver local services in an efficient, cost effective way. I recommend the Bill to the House and I hope it will not divide on it.

I want to make a brief comment on the publication this evening of the Constituency Commission report on Dáil constituency boundaries. As a Cavan-Monaghan elected representative in the constituency, and having coined the phrase "Reunite Cavan" after a significant part of west Cavan was taken from us and adjoined to Sligo-Leitrim, I welcome the reunification of Cavan and the restoration of Cavan-Monaghan as a five seat constituency. With regard to the argument I made in my own presentation, and the petition that I and other colleagues of all political hues across Cavan-Monaghan were instrumental in gathering in association with The Anglo-Celt newspaper in Cavan, the kernel of the argument has been lost because a section of north-east Meath is being adjoined to Cavan-Monaghan. In compensation to Sligo-Leitrim and the big toe of Donegal there is now a section of north Roscommon being appended to Sligo-Leitrim. The integrity of county boundaries should have been respected in relation to this with a greater flexibility allowed around population difference. It is regrettable that the problem continues. Having said that, I welcome the reunification of County Cavan and the restoration of Cavan-Monaghan to a five seat constituency. I hope that the commission to be established will come up with recommendations and proposals that we will all look forward to supporting.

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