This article is from page 21 of the 2011-09-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
A FORMER Mayor of Kilrush is to take the fight against the centralistation of local government services in Ennis to the floor of a public meeting of his local town council this week, in a move which is expected to receive the unanimous backing of fellow members of the council.
Cllr Tom Prendeville has lashed out at what he calls “the diminuition of services” in the west Clare capital, following the recent move that requires drivers wishing to renew their motor tax to do so by way of the internet only, rather than through a facility that was available to them in Kilrush.
Speaking ahead of his motion before the September meeting of Kilrush Town Council, the Fianna Fáil councillor blasted the decision to remove the motor tax renewal facility from the local Town Hall in Kilrush.
Cllr Prendeville has highlighted what he calls the “lack of consultation” with people in west Clare and its local representatives before the decision to remove the Kilrush facility was made, labelling it evidence of “the centralisation of services to Clare County Council headquarters in Ennis”.
Cllr Prendeville has called on Clare County Council “to restore the motor tax service which was available under the much-vaunted ‘one-stopshop initiative in the Town Hall until recent weeks.
“From now onwards, members of the public are being asked to renew their road tax online, even though a great majority of car-owners don’t have access to internet facilities.
“The removal of the service is an inconvenience to west Clare and is being seen as a further centralisation of services to Áras an Chontae and it is a source of regret that public consultation was not entered into before the service was withdrawn,” he added.