The ban on journalists at electoral area meetings of Kerry County Council is a "disturbing development" that denies journalists the freedom to give the public a rounded version of events, commented Deirdre Walsh in the Kerryman.
"What is even more disturbing is the unquestioning manner in which this suggestion was accepted by most of the elected members."
The Limerick Leader was also on top of the issue: "The growing tendency of Limerick City Council to do business behind closed doors is backward in more ways than one . . . It can only corrode local democracy amid burgeoning hypocrisy. Freedom of Information, how are ye! This is yet another case of politicians alienating the people."
In Kerry County Council's case, "increased efficiency" is county manager Martin Nolan's justification for the ban. Instead of recording events as they happen, reporters will be issued with press releases, which are bound to be less colourful than one of Deirdre Walsh's sketches.
"Horses in Tralee have been going around threatening pedestrians, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan informed his fellow councillors," she wrote on Friday.
"This comment extracted much mirth from the press benches, where we couldn't help but mentally conjure up images of Mr Ed [the talking horse], clad in a balaclava and brandishing a knife, demanding money from unsuspecting Christmas shoppers on The Mall . . .
"Jokes aside . . . it was hard to extract serious news from the morning session of the council meeting, which was punctuated by rows, shouting matches, insults being hurled across the chamber and moments of complete farce," Walsh wrote. ail and the two Healy-Raes on one side, versus everyone else on the other side of the political camp, over who should chair the five Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs)."
At the point of a crucial vote, "Cllr Michael Healy-Rae, suddenly realising that his father was missing from the meeting, stood at the door of the chamber, waving his arm frantically to get his father to hurry on," Walsh stated.
Pleading to have the voting delayed, Michael Healy-Rae shouted: "He's coming! He's coming!" and "in a moment of perfect timing, Jackie entered the chamber just as his name was being called out. `For!', he called out . . . even before his posterior had touched the seat."
As Fine Gael/Labour/Independents realised that they were reduced to only two out of five chairman positions, insults flew like Scud missiles. "Greed has won again. You're nothing but a Haughey student of politics!" Cllr Brendan Cronin shouted at Mr Healy-Rae, whose response was: "Yerra, mind you own business!"
Kildare County Council is "in the dark" over builders' levy payments, according to the Leinster Leader. Senior council officials have admitted that "their internal system for recording the collection and payment of millions of pounds in development levies is totally inadequate." In Newbridge, £3.5 million appears to be outstanding, but "officials aren't sure".
The Nationalist and Munster Advertiser said that two Labour Party members of Carrick-on-Suir UDC have been branded as "disloyal" after holding "secret negotiations with the owners of a local business park concerning their decision to withdraw planning permission for a controversial waste transfer station."
Cllr Richie O'Neill demanded: "Could the seven of us not be trusted to keep our mouths shut?". Writing before John Ellis quit the chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, the Kilkenny People commented that the attitude of the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, to the Ellis affair had been "truly extraordinary". The Leinster Leader editorialised that "Increasing numbers of people are reluctant to have anything to do with politicians and their goings-on. Who can blame them?"
This thought was shared by the Nationalist and Munster Advertiser, commenting that the Taoiseach "seriously misjudged the mood of his own party, the Dail and the country. The disastrously low turnout in the recent Dublin by-election should have alerted those in the political driving seat about the need to stem the haemorrhage of public confidence in politicians and the political system."