Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Generally speaking and as a norm I fundamentally disagree with Senator Barrett, but today I find myself in agreement with most of what he has said. I welcome the Minister to House and I welcome the update he has given us on local government reform. I also acknowledge the presence of the president of the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland, AMAI, Councillor Willie Callaghan, and his colleague, Councillor Mark Dalton, in the Visitors Gallery today.

After much deliberation and consultation with members of the AMAI and local politicians throughout the country since 16 October 2012 I have come to the conclusion that the Putting People First document is based more on reductions in the number of councillors and less on the radical reform that we were promised. We all know that strong local government should play a vital part in a functioning democracy, a democracy that strives to represent the public interest at all times. The proposed reduction in the number of elected representatives throughout the country and the abolition of town councils needs reassessment. What we need, and what councillors throughout the country are calling for, is a re-balancing to ensure that this once in a lifetime opportunity to reform local government is not wasted and that this does not amount to reductionism sold as the upgrading of local government.

I have been contacted by town councillors across the political spectrum since the launch of the document in October 2012. They have all said the same thing, that it will be impossible for many small towns throughout the country to elect any councillor or for any small party to fly its party's flag if the current proposals go ahead in the present format. I have stated in the past that if we really wish to reform local government then we should curb the powers of county managers, who merely use councillors as rubber stamps.

The current system needs to be reformed. I acknowledge and support reform but it should not be another opportunity for reductionism. I have stated previously on the record of the House that I believe the Minister has at heart the desire to reform local government. However, currently there is not enough clarification in the Putting People First document on the amount of new powers that will be provided to councils. I have received telephone calls from local representatives asking what new powers will be transferred to them and the issue needs clarity.

Departments need to be prepared to let go of powers and to enhance and embrace the concept of local government reform that the Minister is putting forward. There is also a serious deficit of information with regard to whether the new municipal councils will indeed have the their own financial autonomy. Will they simply be looking to another paymaster, that is to say, instead of central government the county council, from which they will be provided with money to provide local services?

The cost of running town councils and local government generally has been greatly exaggerated in many quarters in order to build public support for slashing and burning local democracy. As far as I can see, this has not worked. The people I have been talking to from all walks of life in my own constituency appreciate the service town councillors provide for the small remuneration they receive, considering their responsibilities. In Killarney, for example, a town councillor receives a representational payment of ¤85 per week and is responsible and accountable for a budget of more than ¤13 million annually. To date there has not been any constructive engagement between the Department's mainstream staff and staff in local development companies. The Department has refused to talk with staff or their unions regarding the new policy of the alignment of the development companies with the local authorities. This issue must be addressed as a matter of urgency, as has already been alluded to by Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill.

All of these issues need clarity and trying to rush this legislation through in 100 days is not in the best interests of the country. This is certainly not the package of local government reforms for which we have waited 100 years. The Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland, AMAI, as the overarching body for town and borough councils, celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. During that time, the association has overseen many changes in life in general in Ireland. I have been involved with the AMAI for over 20 years and have seen the importance of the organisation in working with its membership to ensure the best result is achieved in local government reform. I welcome the comments of the Minister on "Morning Ireland" last week when he spoke of his willingness to work with the AMAI and the Association of County and City Councils, ACCC, to move this issue forward and of the need for unity within councils and between councillors. I note and welcome the Minister's reference again today to engagement with these organisations.

The Minister has proved to be a pragmatic politician throughout his career. He has taken concerns expressed by people in rural Ireland very seriously and for that I commend him. He reduced the charges for septic tank registration and made provision for a grant system for upgrades where they are required. A proposal to reduce the provision of senior citizen alarms was reversed by the Minister last week. On both issues the Minister acted pragmatically and with conviction. I am now calling on him to show the same concern and pragmatism on this issue and to allow this process to run at a workable pace. To expect submissions to be made to the local boundary committee by 25 January, to proceed to a full report by May and then, on foot of this, to draft legislation to change a century of local government before the summer recess is both impractical and unachievable. The consequence of trying to adhere to this tight deadline will be that councillors and candidates across the country will see their electoral areas change by up to 40 miles in any direction but they will still be expected to contest an election with, at best, a run in of only seven or eight months.

On foot of all I have outlined, I ask the Minister to ensure that any legislation passed will not affect the boundaries for the next local elections. This will allow sitting councillors and potential candidates to have an adequate adjustment period, in line with that provided to Dáil candidates contesting general elections. I ask the Minister to consider this proposal so that we get it right from day one and reform local government without diminishing its role, particularly at the lowest practicable level and we remain in line with the European Charter of Local Self-Government which we signed in 1997. I would argue that the establishment of the boundary committee and the proposed abolition of town councils disregards Article 5 of the aforementioned charter. I ask the Minister to address my concerns and those of councillors across the country. The spirit of togetherness that exists within local councils and the desire to get the right outcome for democracy is real. I urge the Minister to engage with the councils in order to achieve a satisfactory outcome for all democrats on this island.

It is real and I urge the Minister to engage with it in order to achieve a satisfactory outcome for all democrats on this island.