TONY McEVOY,
Madam, - I refer to your report of December 19th, "McCreevy used position to lobby for constituent". Such representations by members of the Oireachtas, who supposedly have no connection with local government, are by no means exceptional. It is particularly interesting that the issue should be raised at this time when a Bill devised to bring about a separation of powers between national and local government is being discussed.
We are told that it is Government policy to abolish the "dual mandate", whereby a sitting TD or senator could serve also at local government level as a councillor. Minister Cullen has in the past week reaffirmed the Government's intention to make this separation of powers in the interest of local democracy.
By way of a quid pro quo to the political parties, however, he has agreed under pressure to drop the proposal in the Bill for directly elected mayors. This had proved to be a hard pill to swallow for the two bigger parties, who between them have enough votes to enable them to come to an arrangement whereby they generally share out the position of mayor and other key posts on a year-on-year-off basis to the exclusion of all others.
Enthusiasm for the policies or the integrity of an independent candidate who dares to challenge the party machine, with all its in-built advantages of finance, free postage and influential connections to the sources of power, may cause such a person to net the highest vote. As the parties see it such persons should be put firmly in their place. Local democracy or no local democracy, the proper hierarchy of party privilege must be upheld.
The media have highlighted the issues of dual representation and directly elected mayors. Little emphasis has been given to Mr Cullen's other undertaking - that public representatives at national level would be provided with a legal guarantee of direct access to council officials when representing constituents. This would run counter to a policy of redressing the balance in favour of local democracy. It would put in place a legally approved back door route to local authorities without having to answer for the consequences in the council chamber.
I am calling on fellow independent councillors throughout the State to join me in bringing a constitutional challenge if this aspect of the legislation goes ahead. - Yours, etc.,
TONY McEVOY,
Independent Councillor,
Clane,
Co Kildare.