‘We feel like we’re being ignored’: Kilkenny councillors frustrated over government engagement

Councillors from all parties expressed their criticism of the level of engagement from government departments and ministers to inquiries and requests for funding.

The conversation was triggered by frustration at a number of perceived non-responses from minister’s offices on the agenda which Cathaoirleach Cllr Mary Hilda Cavanagh (FG) called “civil service jargon.”

Echoing this sentiment at the lack of engagement and convoluted responses to Council Notices of Motions, Cllr Tomás Breathnach (Lab) said, “We should expect a reasonable answer. You’d need an interpreter, it’s not fair.”

Cllr Michael Doyle (FG) added that the problem had been persistent during his 10 years on the Council and “we feel like we’re being ignored” with Cllr Joe Malone (FF) adding, “we are being ignored.”

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Ireland was named as having the third weakest local democracy in the EU in a report by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, which said it was one of the most centralised countries in the bloc despite its strong democracy overall.

Cllr Eugene McGuinness (Ind) suggested that the Council invite one Kilkenny Oireachtas member to every monthly meeting to hand deliver Notices of Motion to relevant ministers in Dublin to which Cllr Breathnach said, “we agreed to take Oireachtas members out of local government, I’d be wary of bringing them back in.”

The ongoing Taskforce for Local Government is aiming to strengthen local authorities, something which was highlighted by Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick (FF) who also said it “needs a strong and firm hand and needs to be revised at the highest level.”

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