Comments by the Environment Minister, Martin Cullen, on possible "over-democracy in the regions" did not go down well with development agencies, writes Tim O'Brien
Campaigners for development and investment in the regions have reacted angrily to the comments by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, that "over-democracy" may be holding up vital infrastructure projects.
While most commentators and public representatives accept the Minister's remarks were made in the context of difficulties with the State's waste management plans, they have expressed concern at the Minister "wondering aloud" if more power should be transferred to central government.
The timing of the remarks has also been linked to a review of regional development agencies announced by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Ó Cuív.
"Are they simply wondering aloud or are we hearing a future government policy in the making?" the Independent TD for Sligo Leitrim, Ms Marian Harkin, asked. "If it is a policy to start transferring power back to central government, then they had better not even start".
The former director of the Western Development Commission Mr Liam Scollan, now a development consultant in private practice, said the issue was not so much "over-democracy" but "shabby democracy".
Mr Scollan, under whose direction the commission produced a critical report on the effect of the National Development Plan in the border, midland and western regions, said Mr Cullen had raised the issue of "responsible behaviour".
It was, he felt, perhaps more pertinent to central government.
Mr Scollan said the previous Government had set out reform under the policy "better local government" but had not engaged in the education and training for members of local authorities, which had been promised.
The Government promised a National Spatial Strategy but almost half-way through a national development plan, the strategy had not been published because of political sensitivity on the part of members of the Government, he said.
The regional authorities "were guessing" what the spatial strategy would decree.
For example, it was decreed that regional airports should be developed strategically, but government did not have the courage to say which areas were earmarked for strategic development, he maintained.
Central government was legendary in avoiding difficult decisions, pandering to individual minister's constituencies and had constantly failed to devolve power, he added.
Mr Jim Connolly of Rural Resettlement Ireland was also critical of the Minister's remarks. "If the people are not fit to govern themselves, who should govern them?" he asked.
"All central Government wants to do is to keep power in its own hands."
He instanced the planning process as one which was "over-centralised" and which leads to the decline of rural post offices, villages and community life.
There was, he said, clear evidence emerging from the tribunals about the dangers of concentrating power, particularly in relation to planning, "and the Government is not ignorant of that".
But he warned that a increasingly affluent rural population was ready to "wrest power" from government in favour of decisions being made at a local level.
His comments were echoed by the independent TD for Mayo Dr Jerry Cowley who said the Government appeared to be determined to avoid the European ideal of "subsidiarity" - that all decisions which could be taken locally should be taken locally.
In relation to social housing, Dr Cowley said local communities which provided for their own social housing needs, with Government support, were more likely to have a successful community than the sprawling local authority estates favoured by centralised thinking.
Dún Laoghaire councillor Ms Betty Coffey, who served for eight years on the EU Committee of the Regions in Brussels, said regional government worked very efficiently abroad.
However her experience had shown her that while it could work well, it happened only when power was properly devolved and regional assemblies were properly funded.