This article is from page 25 of the 2012-11-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 25 JPG
KILRUSH Town Council will not be missed until it is gone.
That was the message from the members of the council at its November meeting, the first since the Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan signed the council’s death warrant last month.
The town councillors felt that the loss of the council would leave a gaping hole in access to services and local people’s direct involvement in the development of the town, a fact that will not be recognised locally until it is too late.
Father of the council Cllr Tom Prendeville (FF) proposed that the members meet with the councillors from the other three town councils whose time is also up according to the Government.
Former mayor of the town, Ian Lynch (FG) believes it is time to go to the people to see what they feel about the loss of the 126-year-old council by organising a survey or questionnaire.
Cllr Liam Williams (FG) said he was disappointed “especially as a long time member of the Fine Gael party to think local democracy has been damaged. I can’t see the town being better off because of it.”
Fellow Fine Gael councillor Marian McMahon Jones said she was equally disappointed and said the loss of the council will have a detrimental affect on local rates and parking costs.
Cllr Tom Clyne (Ind) feared that any move to change things now was too little too late.
“I think we are waiting until the horse has bolted, we should have done something sooner. We knew it was coming down the line,” he said.
Cllr Prendeville even went as far as to compare the political situation to Germany in 1934, saying people were disillusioned with party poli- tics.
“If there was a vote in the morning to get rid or the Dáil there would be 100 per cent turn out to get rid of it. That is just how people are feeling.
“We could get rid of two of our four TDs in the morning and save a quarter of a million euro. We have a Sen- ate that Enda Kenny promised to get rid of but will we get the turkeys to vote for Christmas?” he asked.
“We have a great council going now, maybe the Senate will go next and then maybe the Dáil next and then we are in a 1939 situation.”
Mayor of Kilrush Mairead O’Brien (Ind) concluded with “this is a community blow. It is a blow for the community but I am not sure the community knows it yet.”
The councillors resolved to meet with other town councillors in the county to organise a protest or a way of highlighting their joint concerns.