TD criticises Minister for Kilkenny `insult'

A Fianna Fail backbencher has severely criticised the Minister for the Environment and Local Government for his handling of the row over Kilkenny's city status.

In a strongly worded open letter, Mr John McGuinness accused Mr Dempsey of being condescending and confrontational.

"I will resist, with all the means at my disposal, if needs be, any attempt by anyone to write out, diminish, undermine or insult Kilkenny, its institutions, its traditions or its people. And that, Minister, includes you," Mr McGuinness wrote.

Asked by The Irish Times if this meant he would vote against the Local Government Bill when it came before the Dail, Mr McGuinness said the Bill had to go through a number of stages and he would decide on his position at the relevant times.

The Bill proposes that Kilkenny be run by a town council while only Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford would be recognised as cities. However, charters such as those granted to Kilkenny could be used for ceremonial and related purposes.

In his letter to the Minister, Mr McGuinness said he had told Mr Dempsey at a meeting that Kilkenny people were not seeking great changes to the Bill and "a little redrafting" would be sufficient.

"I don't think you heard me, because instead of compromise you seem to have chosen confrontation and consequently, in this open letter, I intend to make my dissatisfaction and my position clear to you."

Mr McGuinness, who had previously said the Bill did not change Kilkenny's status, said he was aware that the question of a city charter and Kilkenny's status as an urban centre were separate matters. Some, he claimed, were "bending the facts" for political purposes.

"But do not let an exercise in political opportunism confuse you," he wrote. "There is real anger in Kilkenny, among politicians of all parties and among the general public, less, perhaps, because of what the Bill states so badly than by your attitude to the small changes that we are demanding.

"The people who drafted the Bill made a spectacular miscalculation and you have compounded it by not comprehending how important a part tradition and heritage play in the lives of the citizens in this proud, ancient city.

"Indeed, in their disregard for history, your officials have put themselves in the same league as and have followed the example of two other spectacular, insensitive individuals, both of whom revoked our charter: Cromwell and William of Orange. Not good company, Minister."

Kilkenny people wanted very little from the Minister, Mr McGuinness added. "We want what we always had, or, if you like, what we always believed we had.

"We want the fact that we are a city by charter positively enshrined in the Bill and eventually in the Act. We want our corporation, councillors and aldermen. We want our genuine love for this city and its traditions recognised and respected.

"What we do not want, with the greatest respect, are derogatory comments and condescending remarks. We do not want disrespect, either privately or over the airwaves."

It is understood the TD was referring in particular to Mr Dempsey's description of campaigners on the issue as "childish".

A spokeswoman for Mr Dempsey said he would respond directly to Mr McGuinness. In a statement, however, the Department of the Environment and Local Government said there would be no change in Kilkenny's status. "Legally it is not a city now in local government law, nor will it be in the future," it said.

"What many people probably don't realise is that the reference to Kilkenny as a city has its roots in local usage deriving from a 17th-century charter. There is no foundation in current local government law for this terminology.

"That being said, there is no objection to Kilkenny continuing to use its traditional reference as a city. The Bill specifically provides that local charters can continue for ceremonial or related purposes, and so safeguards local tradition and practice." Under the Bill, "town" would be used to describe Kilkenny, in place of "borough", which was of little meaning to the layman.