Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing with Deputies Michael Collins and Michael Healy-Rae.

I speak in favour of the Local Government (Restoration of Town Councils) Bill 2018 which will reform the Local Government Reform Act 2014 and restore town councils. It will address the democratic deficit that arose with the abolition of town councils. It is a political correction for democracy. It represents a return to a form of democracy whose loss we now understand. The pendulum has swung too far away from local democracy. This Bill attempts to allow local towns and councils to make decisions for themselves. The centralisation of local government into county councils drew politics too far from people, including in substantial towns. In Clare, Shannon, Ennis and Kilrush lost their town councils and Kilkee lost its town commissioners. This Bill would restore to County Clare town councils in Ennis and Shannon which would be welcome because we are suffering a sustained attack on rural Ireland and rural life. The withdrawal of local democracy was another example of that. We in rural Ireland are losing our services, including medical services and post offices, and we need to restore local democracy which would help to redress that balance.

It also allows towns to make decisions specific to themselves, develop local amenities and cultural activities but also maintain services within the towns and the integrity of those communities. Council councils have now divided into municipal districts which often means a huge area being covered by a small number of councillors. Often many areas have no representation at all. The restoration of this democracy, this correction of local democracy, is extremely important and I commend this Bill to the House.

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