No cages rattled or boats rocked in Dundalk town council

Last Tuesday nights sitting of Dundalk town council was observed by a number of People Before profit members. This was done in response to complaints by councillors regarding bullying and inappropriate behaviour as well as the refusal by the town clerk to allow questions on the agenda that may call into question actions he had taken in the past. People Before Profit Dundalk had warned all those concerned through the Democrat newspaper that they would be observing and reporting on such behaviours in the future. After last Tuesdays meeting a number of councillors contacted People Before Profit Dundalk to say that their presence at the meeting had done the trick and claimed it to have been one of the best behaved and constructive town council meetings they have ever attended.

Our observers did not see it that way however. They were left with a distinct impression that the councillors behave in a powerless fashion, deferential to the unelected officials. There were few if any decisions made at the meeting with town council unelected officials responding to each question or motion by highlighting obstacles to progress rather than solutions to overcome such obstacles.

One example of this was when Councillor Eamonn O'Boyle (pictured) asked why ghost housing estates could not be taken over by the council to accomodate those on the growing housing list. David Storey, a council executive, gave a list of weak reasons such as that it was a national problem to be dealt with by national government; that there would be tax difficulties and finally that there was a very small number of such housing estates within their jurisdiction (there are in fact thirteen ghost housing estates in Dundalk). When Councillor O'Boyle asked that the matter be looked into further, he was told the same answers again.

This highlights the learned helplessness of most of our councillors in that they are willing to accept such obstacles rather than continue the conversation on how to overcome them. For example, it would have been within the remit of any and all councillors present to suggest that all the councillors get together and approach other councils about developing a strategy to present to national government. Equally, councillors could have sought advice on how to deal with any tax issues that may arise from efforts by the council to take over ghost housing estates. It is important to remember that councils have been saddled, by the national government, with the responsibility for maintaining these abandoned estates.

All of this must be considered in the context of section 140 of the Local Government Act 2001 which empowers elected councillors to direct the unelected officials in most capacities.Instead, councillors behave as though they are almost afraid of these officials, accepting their word without much if any question. Instead of heading off problems and coming up with solutions amongst themselves and directing unelected officials to carry out the solutions, they wait with open mouths to be led by bungling, dubious beuracrats down paths that lead to nowhere.

Although a number of councillors phoned People Before Profit Dundalk to report that last weeks council meeting was more constructive than usual it is clear that we have much work to do. People Before Profit envisages town council meetings of the future in which real debate occurs, where decisions are made and solutions found. We shall continue to fight for this and hope we can rely on your support. Together we are strong.