This article is from page 79 of the 2009-05-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 79 JPG
CLARE’S only candidate in the Eu- ropean Election Michael McNamara has called for all counties to be al- lowed elect its own local mayor.
The Independent candidate, who believes an overhaul of local govern- ment is long over due has asked can those in the provinces not be trusted to elect the heads of their local gov- Simone ate ome
“While the announcement of a di- rectly elected mayor for Dublin 1s positive for Dublin, one has to won- der why it wasn’t extended beyond the pale, where it is most needed in light of the centralisation of power in this country’, he said. “It does not change the fact that on June 5 coun- cillors will be elected in Clare.” Yet, all executive power is in the hands of the County Manager who is ap- pointed from Dublin. Is this local democracy?” he asked.
Con (onmsslomanunleUbelcans(OUse-DUMBDOMNele counties local authorities, difficult decisions will have to be made in the months and years after the upcoming election. Indeed they are already be- ing made as we see from news from the Roads Section. There decisions must be made by democratically elected representatives who have to answer to the electorate for their de- C1Sions.”’
“There is general agreement on the need for greater accountability in government but at the moment it remains just a slogan to glibly throw out. Accountability has to begin somewhere. All politics is local, the say. So it has to begin locally,’ he Sr nLe
“In the time spent campaigning throughout the constituency, since my late entry to the race, one issue has stood out in the vast and var- ied constituency. That is a sense of increasing alienation from govern- ment, including local government, by citizens and community groups. This growing chasm is very worrying and needs to be bridged,” he added.
‘Perhaps, the answer is less local government with greater power and a more regional approach. I think that the people of Clare feel a strong affinity with Munster. Indeed the re- cent Clare FM poll where the major- ity felt that the voters of Clare are not adequately represented in being part of the North and West European Par- liament Constituency is noteworthy in this regard.”