OPINION: Councillors should lead town-council reinstatement

Attacking democracy is easy for those in power. Ask the FG/Lab government that abolished town councils in 2014. Democracy can be sullied by those in power who treat it as a bartering tool.
Before the last general election Micheál Martin prided himself on stating that, as Fianna Fáil leader, he would never contemplate a coalition with Fine Gael. Following the counts the kettles in the counting centres weren’t even cold before he slipped across the floor like a nimble dancer.
In one fell swoop ‘Civil War politics’ were swept aside, differences were buried and a new era of cooperation was promised. Burying the hatchet and all that razzmatazz was the order of the day. In essence, both main parties came together to keep Sinn Féin out. It’s called ‘democracy’.
The mantra about Sinn Féin’s violent past and their ‘rulers in Belfast’ was started long before the last election and still continues. Sinn Féin will admit to its past but apparently it’s difficult for the main parties to admit to Sinn Féin’s present reality of being central in the peace process. They still harp on about the past.
Of course the history of both main parties is littered with violence, especially with Fine Gael in its early state formation as Cumann na nGaedheal when it thrived on executing fellow Irish men.
How violent was the act of throwing Irish businesses and citizens under the bailout bus when we all had to pay for Euro folly? Violence comes in many guises. Look at the difficulty for the self-employed had in getting state supports when they fell on hard times. Is that not a form of state violence at worst? At least it is a betrayal of what a democratic state should be.
And there’s President Macron in France and his snap election. He thought everyone still loved him. Sarkozy reimagined! After getting a wake-up call in the first round of voting he and his fellow ‘democrats’ decided to ‘steer’ the voting in round two. They ‘convinced’ a couple of hundred candidates to withdraw from the election to enable Macron’s centrists to have a better chance against Le Pen’s right wingers. ‘Democracy’ in action!
In western Europe, democracy is defined by a few people in power. They want it their way or no way. They have an expectation that they should be supported all the time in everything they do. They effuse a sense of entitlement. We have it in Dáil Éireann and right across European parliaments.
Soon we’ll have the unelected President of the European Commission selecting unelected Commissioners and they will rule the roost in Europe. We accept it because they have to have the final imprimatur of the elected MEPs. The last few weeks has been full of horse trading to ensure that Ursula von der Leyen gets the green light for another five years from a majority of MEPs.
Fianna Fáil MEPs, elected after stating they would not vote for her, are now under party and government pressure to vote for her so that our new lad in the Commissioner’s trousers, Michael McGrath ‘will get a good portfolio’. Democracy in action.
At least we always hope to have some level of democracy at local level. Local councillors generally work together for the common good.
So let me throw down a gauntlet, a democratic challenge to local councillors – insist that town councils are reinstated. Now is the time for local councillors to start a campaign. It’s ahead of the next election and it should be an election issue. The main parties should have it on their manifesto – return power locally through town councils.
Locals towns are being denied local democracy since local councils were abolished. Across Europe Ireland stands close to the lowest rung when it comes to supporting local democracy.
Councillors will have to put pressure on the two big parties. It’s plausible to hear West Region councillors say they will work together, be it in Achill, Belmullet or Westport. The harsh reality is that Westport needs its town council status reinstated immediately. Standards in the town are slipping noticeably. Premium ratepayers are receiving second class state supports. Councillors, into your hands….