Fine Gael remains committed to stopping the proposed incinerator in Poolbeg. Luicnda recently sought assurances from Fine Gael party leader Enda Kenny that the party would oppose the construction of the proposed incinerator if elected to government. Deputy Kenny unequivocally confirmed that Fine Gael would continue to fight tooth and nail to oppose the incinerator.

Lucinda again calls on Minister John Gormley to stand by his promises to the people of Dublin South East and scrap the incinerator for once and for all.

Speech on the Adjournment of the Dáil

I would like to raise on the adjournment the reports of mismanagement of Government funds by the Dublin Inner City Partnership, the resignations from the Partnership and the withdrawal of Pobal funding to the Partnership.

I am pleased to have an opportunity to raise this very serious and important matter in regard to the expenditure of public moneys. The Minister of State will be aware that the Dublin Inner City Partnership was established in 1991, one of 12 development companies under the programme for economic and social progress at the time. The aim of this partnership was to fund community groups and to fund projects in disadvantaged areas, including those most affected by abject poverty in the State. (more…)

Friday April 23rd, 2010

Deputy Lucinda Creighton T.D. today rubbished John Gormley’s proposals for a Mayor of Dublin and said it would be a waste of resources unless real local government reform was planned. Speaking at a business lunch in the Four Seasons Hotel, Ballsbridge, she called for the abolition of the four Dublin local authorities, the creation of a single Dublin Regional Assembly, a reduction in the number of Councillors by 50% and the introduction of local rates so as to finance local government in the Dublin region.

Pointing to the 100% rise in unemployment in Dublin in a 2-year period, Deputy Creighton said:

“Governance in the Dublin region, as in the rest of the country, is weak, ill-defined and rife with duplication. There are four local authorities in the region – Dublin City Council, South Dublin County Council, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and Fingal County Council. They employ a whopping 10,000 staff between them and command a budget of 2.5 billion. Each of these Councils has a city or county manager directing them, in whom the bulk of Executive powers are vested. While there is no shortage of bureaucrats running the city, they are not answerable to anyone.

“And what is the Government’s response to this? The Minister for Environment proposes to add yet another layer of bureaucracy, a new Mayor, causing further waste, with no accountability.

“A new office of Mayor of Dublin should only happen if the Government is brave enough to abolish the existing four local authorities and introduce a directly elected Regional Assembly with fewer Councillors. How is it that we in Dublin with a total population of 1.5 million, have four Councils and 130 Councillors? In contrast the city of New York has a population of 8.3 million people and a total of 52 City Councillors!

“A Mayor of Dublin, presiding over a strengthened and emboldened Dublin Authority, with half the number of Councillors, would require real powers. The mayor and the new authority will also require revenue raising powers, which may ultimately mean the introduction of local taxation, not an unjust property tax, but a form of local rates. This may be politically unpopular, but would amount to a courageous and necessary step in achieving the type of services and infrastructure we need in Dublin. We must restart the economic engine of this country, its capital city. For Dublin to recover, real reform is essential“

Deputy Lucinda Creighton: I believe the legislation, especially in light of its source, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, to be a sham. I do not wish to personalise this but the introduction of a Bill such as this is simply pathetic emanating as it does from a Deputy who spent all of his time in opposition criticising and highlighting the democratic deficit at local government level, lamenting the progressive centralisation of power with Fianna Fáil Ministers and pleading for a meaningful devolved form of local government. It speaks volumes about the ineptitude of the Green Party in Government and its inability to influence any sort of meaningful change in terms of local government, in particular, planning.

This Bill flies in the face of subsidiarity. The word “subsidiarity” came up a lot in recent campaigns on European referenda. The word itself does not mean much to people, but it does mean a great deal in terms of its practical application. (more…)

A Mayor of Dublin, directly elected by the people for the people, presents an enormous opportunity to transform the fortunes of the capital city. It offers us a chance to showcase and drive the economic hub of this country. With almost a third of the country’s population, and over half of the country’s GDP centred on the capital city, it is imperative that we fuel this economic engine of Ireland. The introduction of direct democracy with direct accountability offers a chance to develop a credible economic recovery plan for Dublin. (more…)