“We’re not getting it back" - Division as some councillors opt not to support 'Kilkenny City Council' motion
As featured in this week’s Kilkenny People
Three Kilkenny City councillors have opted not to support a motion to re-name the Kilkenny City Municipal District as ‘Kilkenny City Council’.
Councillors Joe Malone, Sean Ó hArgain and Maria Dollard argued such a move would not offer any greater powers or improvements to local democracy.
As reported by Kilkenny Live earlier this week, Cllr David FitzGerald has called for municipal district to be re-named to ‘reflect the city’s rich history and its growing role as a major economic, social and cultural hub.’
Previously, Kilkenny City had its own borough council with its own set of powers to manage affairs in the area.
However, that was officially dissolved on June 1, 2014, under the Local Government Act. Governance of Kilkenny City subsequently merged entirely into Kilkenny County Council, which established the Municipal District of Kilkenny City, which acts with limited powers in comparison to its predecessor.
The motion raised a mixed reaction from councillors, ultimately passing after a vote 4-3. - FURTHER COVERAGE HERE
Cllr Malone, delivered a firm message to members, stating, “We’re not getting it back.”
“I don’t think it’s extra councillors we need; it’s more powers,” he added.
Cllr Sean Ó hArgain, who wore the mayoral chain during the borough council era opted not to support the motion.
The Labour Party councillor argued that greater emphasis should be placed on actively fighting for additional powers, greater decision-making authority and not simply ‘window dressing’.
“I don’t want to be overly political on this, but Fianna Fáil, your own party mayor, did promise in their manifesto to re-establish Town Councils, including Kilkenny City Council, and it’s obvious there is one party in government that are blocking that from happening,” he claimed.
“I think that’s deeply disappointing and I think we need to make it quite clear that ourselves and the other four borough councils, which were abolished for so called better local government in 2014, should be re-established as proper corporations.”