Sir, - Your Editorial of April 4th, "Parliamentary Reform", for the third time in recent weeks endorsed elements of the Local Government Bill currently before the Dail. The dual mandate issue is only one part of this deeply disappointing and flawed Bill, which is delayed at present because of the concerns of the four "Fianna Fail Independents".
Can The Irish Times explain where, in the 208 pages of that Bill, real reform is provided to our creaking system of local government? Where is there a transfer of real power to the democratically elected councils? Where in the Bill is there anything to stop a future Minister for the Environment aping the threat by Noel Dempsey to abolish Dublin City Council or any other county council because it would not do his bidding? For that, as readers may forget, occurred only 14 weeks ago following a vote on the Estimates for corporation finances.
Of course we need parliamentary and local government reform, but they must go hand in hand. This Government's populist approach to the issue will not serve the interests of achieving genuine local government. Without real local government, parliamentary reform will amount to nothing more than an occasional Editorial in The Irish Times. - Yours, etc.,
Cllr Dermot Lacey, Beech Hill Drive, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.