When we look at the scenario where many town councils are to be abolished come 2014, we must agree that there is a case for local government reform, subject of course to what Minister Phil Hogan has in mind. The latter claims that malpractice perpetrated by local authority councillors reinforces his stance on the need for reform. He claims that his own experience as a councillor, TD and minister, had made him acutely aware of what he termed ‘the many deep-seated shortcomings’ in the local government system.

On announcing the initiative last year, he stated before an assembled group of councillors and TDs that the performance of elected members had, on occasion, “failed to inspire confidence”. We would have to agree with him on that, judging by performances meted out by elected representatives in the Fermoy UDC chambers back over the years when their antics saw Fermoy become part of the national joke. While they may have raised a smile from time to time, such shenanigans had no place in town council matters.

Minister Hogan’s intention also is to take away the power of councillors to overturn the decisions of planning officials. We can recall too just a few short years ago the divisive vote taken by councillors in Fermoy that forced the plans for a hotel in the town centre to take a sharp nosedive.

With reform on the way, it is time for all of us to take an interest in what is being put in place and, more importantly, to have our say in such matters!