Features by Conor Kostick Independent Left

Fórsa, the new trade union formed out of a merger between Impact, the CPSU and the PSEU has heard at its 2019 conference in Kilkenny that Ireland has one of the weakest local government roles in Europe. Research commissioned by the union shows that local government spending here is just 8% of all public spending, compared to the EU average for local government of 23%.

Seán Reid, chair of Fórsa’s Local Government and Local Services division argued that local government reform was a huge issue that had been neglected by TDs who liked to pose as a local ‘fixer’, to assist in their re-election.

Instead of strong, well funded local government with meaningful powers, county managers make what little democracy there is at local level extremely feeble and this has consequences for voter turnout and interest in local elections.

Councillor John Lyons has had five years of experience in battling for increased democracy in Dublin and he is standing in the Artane/Whitehall constituency for the May local elections. Backing Fórsa’s views, he commented:

All Local Election candidates in #LE19 must have the aim and aspiration to radically improve local government in Ireland, currently the weakest of all local governance systems anywhere. If they don’t, then they are merely slotting into the well-worn groves of an utterly dysfunctional system.

Dubliners deserve better.

A recent infographic from the Disability Federation shows how the large numbers of people with a disability in Dublin are being failed. In employment, housing and especially in education, the figures tell a clear and grim story, that urgent change is needed.

Niamh McDonald, Independent Left candidate for Donaghmede LEA said:

Fifteen percent of Dublin’s population have a disability, that is over 81,000 people. Some of those disabilities can be seen others cannot. So far the city of Dublin is catered for those fully able, it needs to change. We need to create a city removes the obstacles that prevents people’s accessibility. We need to see the obstacles being the problem not the people, this should be in full consultation with those to affected by those obstacles #liveablecity