Madam, - Once again the future of the democratically elected Dublin City Council is under threat from an Environmental Minister who, in common with his predecessors, has grossly underfunded local government services.
In 1999 the present coalition held a referendum which was supposed to give full constitutional recognition to local government. Specifically it promised to: enhance the role of the elected member; support community involvement with local authorities in a more participatory local democracy; modernise local government legislation, and provide the framework for new financial management systems and other procedures to promote efficiency and effectiveness; underpin generally the programme of local government renewal.
Despite these commendable aims, the same Government is now threatening to abolish Dublin City Council because it has been audacious enough to reject democratically an estimate containing bin charges. Unfortunately this government is prepared to envisage local government only if it meekly obeys the diktats from the Minister's office in the Custom House.
I strongly urge those Dublin city councillors opposing the bin charges to stand their ground and not be bullied by the Minister. Let him demonstrate the Government's state - Yours, etc.,
SEÁN Ó CIONNAITH,
Ballymun Branch,
The Workers' Party,
Longdale Terrace,
Dublin 9.