Sharon Keogan: Demands Restore Town Councils and Local Power

I rise today not just as a senator but as someone who, like many of you, has worked on the front lines of local government. I say this without hesitation, the treatment of our local government and the continued centralisation of power is a disgrace. Successive governments, including what's over this side of the House and the Green Party, have stripped communities of their voices, their representation and their ability to shape their own futures. It was done in the name of efficiency but what we lost was democracy. We were promised reform. What we got was centralisation. What we need is more councillors with more decisions made locally and less power handed to unelected executives. Let us look at one example. Last year's abolition of the Joint Policing Committees. These were perfectly good forms for cooperation between local authorities, elected representatives and on Garda Sia Khanh. In their place we've been given local community safety partnerships whose rollout has been a mess. The LSCPs are touted as being more directly involved with local communities yet they circumvent those same communities elected and undemocratically accounted representatives. Our systems are marred by confusion and imbalance. In Ireland the chief executive is appointed, not elected. They make decisions. Councillors, the people's representatives are left to rubber stamp budgets and pass motions that can be ignored. That is not democracy. That is a two-tiered system where the elected are left to explain decisions they didn't make. We could help rectify this tomorrow. For instance, councillors have no access to experienced advisers and we do this here in the Oireachtas. I propose the creation of independent legal, planning and financial advisers for all councillors to be appointed by the council chair every five years. Another inequality in our democracy is a cap we place on councillors limiting them to gratuity payments for no more than 20 years of service. No such cap exists in these houses. Either place a cap on years of service for all or allow councillors to serve and be recognised for as long as their constituents continue to elect them. This mess and confused half measure must end. Another issue is the vouched expenses of £4,200. This can be used for admin support. However, it is not enough. They need to increase this twofold. Even that gives councillors nine hours admin per week. And it gets worse. Let's also consider the fact, which I've also been trying to raise in this chamber for some time, that councillors are not even exempt from commercial rates. And can you believe it? We have no councillor on the housing agency in this country, yet we have chief executives. Finally, I call on the government to clarify the membership of the local democracy task force and on what basis and criteria its composition will be determined. On this issue, we cannot be treated like mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed manure. And yes, I welcome the establishment of the local democracy task force. But I say this to the government. Be bold. Don't tinker around the edges. Don't give us another report that gathers dust on a shelf. Give us real reform. Restore town councils, empower councillors, rebalance the relationship between elected members and executives, and give local government the power it needs to serve the people. Independent councillors in this country are the third biggest largest elected body in the country. To leave them out would be unwise. So please be inclusive to independent councillors. Thank you.