Reform of local government

So, as expected, Phil Hogan has announced the merger of some county and city councils and abolished all town councils. Certainly, few will mourn the latter's demise, but such rationalisation would only prove worthwhile if the quid pro quo involves the devolution of enhanced powers to local authorities. Although they will retain the property tax revenue, this doesn't appear to be the case, with county managers keeping executive power, so does the exercise merely further centralise government? Personally, I'd abolish the county councils instead and replace them with four regional authorities, keeping the town councils to allow for some local input, the question of peripherality won't go away.

I don't see the problem with abolishing town councils or merging county and city councils. Four regional authorities might be too few, but I do think county lines is outdated in some places. For example, I'd prefer a Dublin Regional Council, that would take in parts of surrounding counties that are either part of the connurbation or commuter belt.

I also don't agree with so much power resting with unelected, and seemingly unaccountable, county managers. It definitely doesn't ensure decisions are for the greater good in my experience. I'd prefer directly elected mayors to replace them.

I have no problem with the merging of city and town councils, but what's sauce for the goose must be sauce for the gander, Dublin must go the same route.

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

I have no problem with the merging of city and town councils, but what's sauce for the goose must be sauce for the gander, Dublin must go the same route.

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As an employee of a LA in Dublin I can honestly say that as bad and as inefficient as the system can be (and it frustrates me everyday), if we were relying on Cllrs to do anything nothing would happen. Ever.

I'm so happy that the Town councils are being abolished. A country this size does not need them.

However I would have gone further and completely reorganised the LAs.
That counties like Monaghan, Longford and Leitrim exist how they do is scandalous. A complete overhaul and destruction of the county lines for administrative purposes needs to be done. After reading the report I'm shocked that the anomalies of Carrick-on-Suir, Carrick-on-Shannon, Athlone, Waterford (Ferrybank), Drogheda, Bray etc haven't been sorted. At the end of the day for the sake of effective administration it needs to be done.

I think Dublin in it's current guise needs to be sorted completely separately as it is completely atypical of every other region of the country.

I'll keep an open mind about it for now but, much like reforms in education, it appears to me they're trying to do the right thing for the wrong reason -that is of course merely to save money.

I think that administering along county lines is absurd. Maybe it's coming from Limerick that informs that belief. Technically I live in County Clare but live closer to Limerick city center than many people who live in Limerick cities actual suburbs never mind it's comuter belt. I can see st Johns Cathedral and thomond park out my kitchen window! Yet I live in a county that sees and administers itself on the one hand as a rural idyll and at the same time is cynically trying to plan for a future where it can bleed the city on it's doorstep white without paying city rates. (I know, I know, Limerick county council beat them to the punch by a quarter of a century with that trick).

Anyway what I'm probably trying to say is my neck of the woods most likely needs a municipal authority that straddles Limerick City and it's actual hinterland taking in as it does chunksof counties Limerick, Clare and even Tipperary.