Don't get fooled again!

The reform of local government will not put people first but rather it
removes people even further from local democracy.

The current ratio of councillors in Ireland is 1 per 2,336 making
Ireland the 2nd most under-represented people in the EU.

"Putting People First" doubles that ratio to 1 per 4,800.  An
Unprecedented reduction in any EU nation.

Maybe that is not a big issue in major urban areas but when you
consider the geography of rural electoral areas like that of the
Westport Electoral area were just 4 county councillors serve an area
bigger than County Louth you get an idea of just how distant local
councillors will be.

Add in the fact that regional assemblies are being cut from 10 to 3
and the democratic deficit really starts to add up.

The Dual Mandate is also be be ended and councillors elected to the
Municipal Councils will automatically serve on the county council,
thereby concentrating even more power in the hands of a smaller amount
of people.

Town Councils like Westport, redressed that balance, delivering
services like planning, water, housing, recreation, tourism and social
initiatives at the lowest level, that nearest to the citizen.

The government is also abolishing or merging Town Councils, Borough
Councils and City Councils which have existed separately for centuries
in the interests of savings only, taking in no account the historical,
economic, cultural, social and morale impact of such a move.
Meanwhile Dublin is to be left as 4 separate local authorities for no
good reason.

In short this is not a plan of reform.  It is a plan of budget cuts, a
reduction of local democracy on a scale never seen in a modern
European nation and a further centralisation of local government.

The myth is promoted that this is the first major reform of local
government in a century but it is exactly that, a myth, big reforms
were promised with the Better Local Government Act 1999 and again with
the Local Government Act of 2001.

Don't get fooled again!