John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Real reform is about giving councillors more power. We have had this discussion before and to a degree I agree with the Minister that while councillors have the power they are waiting for the next lollipop from the county manager. That is a fact of life. In local government at present the executive is running the councils, not the county councillors. The same situation is replicated at Government level. Civil servants run the country, as has been noted in the Chamber. From interaction with various Ministers, I have noted they cannot do anything because they are hamstrung by civil servants. I was interested to hear the debate on whether we should tax people earning more than ¤100,000 an extra 3%. The media reported that Fine Gael would not agree to this unless the Labour Party agreed to cut social welfare. In my view the civil servants were telling the Government what they were and were not willing to take, and they were not willing to take that pain. That is where the real story lies. I often wonder if there is any need for politicians because the executive runs the council and the civil servants run the country.

On a more parochial issue in regard to local government reform I am concerned, and point out to my counterpart in County Leitrim, Senator Mooney, that this county, with a population of 27,000, will retain 18 county councillors while a population in County Roscommon of 63,000 will have the same number. Perhaps this submission to the Boundary Commission should be looked at again. I would appreciate if the Minister would look at it.

There are more rural than urban areas in County Roscommon. The rates bill being paid by Monksland to Roscommon County Council is ¤1.3 million per year and there is talk that Monksland may be counted in with Athlone. The county council has made a submission on this which, in my view, is a nonsense. If it were to happen I wonder how it would pan out.