A chara, – The Minister for the Environment and Local Government Phil Hogan (March 11th) presents the Local Government Act 2014 as a significant reform of local democracy and councillors' powers, and part of his programme of devolving power to local authorities.
Leaving aside the fact that the biggest undermining in recent times of local government was by the same Minister through the transfer of the managing of water services to an unaccountable quango, Irish Water, the new Act does very little to enhance local government powers.
Almost all of the Act, (as with most of the Minister’s letter), deals with the abolition of town councils and changes to local government structures. These moves confer no additional powers on local authorities and will result in no savings.
If the Minister wished to be really radical, he would have given complete control of the “local” property tax to local authorities. Instead, he will continue to control the purse strings by deciding on local government funding levels centrally and permitting councils to debate if they can make a minimal variation.
In sum, the Minister’s policies are rather like asking somebody whether they wish to swallow his bitter tax pill with a pint as opposed to a half litre of water (now supplied by the Minister’s quango). – Is mise,
Cllr MALCOLM BYRNE,
Wexford County Council,
Gorey,
Co Wexford.