Fianna Fáil ministers are facing a backlash from party councillors who this afternoon began "the biggest campaign we have ever fought" against the abolition of some 60 town councils.
Up to 300 councillors at their annual conference in Buncrana this afternoon heard a number of their Fianna Fáil colleagues express "disgust" and "embarrassment" at the Fianna Fáil submission on local government reform.
The submission was put together by a Fianna Fáil committee that included ministers Noel Dempsey, Pat Carey, Bat O'Keeffe and Eamon O'Cuiv.
The submission followed a Green Paper on reform circulated by Minister for Environment John Gormley, and a White Paper on the Government's intentions is expected shortly.
Cllr Mark Dalton of Athy Town Council said he and fellow Fianna Fáil councillors were "disgusted" with the Fianna Fáil party submission on local Government reform.
He told the delegates the Fianna Fáil committee chaired by Noel Dempsey had prepared the party's submission but it had "no support" on the ground. He said he and other Fianna Fáil councillors had met Noel Dempsey and "asserted our disgust" and would be having a follow up meeting in coming weeks. He paid tribute to councillors around the country who he said were making their feelings known to local TDs.
Mr Dalton echoed earlier comments from fellow Fianna Fáil councillor Dessie Larkin of Letterkenny Town Council who said party members were "embarrassed" by the Fianna Fáil submission.
Cllr Denis Landy (Lab) of Carrick-on-Suir said members would organise, hold workshops and make submissions to the forthcoming local Government white paper on local authority reform.
Cllr Vincent McElheron (Ind) of Arklow Town council said members should seek support from the Local Authority Members' Association and members of the Seanad who were reliant on councillors' votes, in support of the campaign against the "common enemy" in the central Government.
Cllr Maxine Keoghan (FG) of Tramore Town Council said she learnt the association had professional media advisers. She said the campaign should also utilise Facebook and Youtube and other new media. Ms Keoghan said most comment in media was negative with much focus on expenses. She asked for the association to ensure members were well prepared to go on local radio stations and counter negative publicity. She said local media in particular could be used to get the message across.
However Jim Holloway of Navan Town Council (FG) said reform was badly needed. He said in Navan he had seen five councillors ascribe powers to themselves to the exclusion of other members. He said frequently town councils operated as a "mini Dáil" and members had to "step up to the mark" in operating like a board of directors. Mr Holloway said the "elephant in the room" was the ability to raise revenue and that this should be restored to all town councils.
The councillors were told by Dr Aodh Quinlivan of University College Cork that Ireland was already one of the most under represented countries in Western Europe, in terms of local democracy. Dr Quinlivan said there were 114 local authorities in Ireland representing one council for every 35,000 people. This compared to a local council for every 1,600 people in France; one for every 5,400 people in Germany; and one for every 4,900 in Spain.
Mr Quinlivan said existing town councils with a population as low as less than 7,500 have demonstrated themselves to be viable. Such a council was Youghal in Co Cork that last year won "Town Council of the Year" award.
He said local government was in need of reform "rather than haphazard" measures aimed at reducing costs.
Proposals to reduce the powers of town councils or even abolish large numbers of them have been made by the Local Government Efficiency Review Group as well as the Bord Snip Nua cost cutting group chaired by economist Colm McCarthy, and more recently the Fianna Fáil party's submission to Government.