A CAMPAIGN to restore town councils, debated in the Dáil this week, would dramatically alter the political landscape in Killarney and other parts of Kerry but, despite public statements of intent, all parties are privately conceding that it is very unlikely to happen.
The restoration bid, spearheaded by Fianna Fail and supported by Independent TDs, including the Healy-Rae brothers, seeks to overturn legislation passed by the former Fine Gael and Labour coalition which scrapped the long-standing town authorities, with the stroke of a pen, this time three years ago.
The move backfired locally on the coalition partners as two former Killarney councillors, Cathal Walshe (Fine Gael) and Sean Counihan (Labour), suffered heavy defeats in the new-format local elections with both failing to win seats on the new municipal authority.
Deputy Michael Healy-Rae told the Dáil this week that the abolition of town councils was based on “blind arrogance” on the former coalition which has a comfortable voting majority.
“The disgraceful Fine Gael-Labour government of arrogance did away with them,” he said.
Under the Local Government Reform Act, a total of 80 town councils, which had served their communities for more than 100 years, were scrapped by Fine Gael and Labour with the number of councillors slashed from over 1,600 to just over 900.
The aim of the exercise was to save money but former coalition party members – particularly in the Labour Party – are now in favour of what would amount to a spectacular U-turn on the issue.
Fianna Fail is leading the charge for change, however, and the party wants the old-style councils back to take charge of basic matters like footpath maintenance, traffic management and street cleaning.
It is estimated that it would cost up to €15 million to bring back town councils and any elected members would be paid close on €2,500 per year before expenses.
What that would mean for the new-look Municipal District Councils remains to be clarified but nothing can change without legislation being passed in the Dáil which is still considered a long shot.
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