Can Local Councillors have any effect on the current financial problems

guser2006

Hi all - is getting near that time when we'll all be out voting in the Local Elections, and am just wondering, really can local councillors help us out at all at the moment. I KNOW that when a company closes you hear the councillors on the radio saying its bad for the area etc etc, but really can they help us at all in the problem we're in at the moment?

The reason I'm asking is if I thought they could, then that would affect my questions and therefore who I voted for!

So my question is, does anyone think there is anything local councillors can do to help us get out of the current problems we're in as a country financially, or is all of that at the mercy of the Dail / Seannad?

DJDC

Since most councillers are vested interests in the property market and who's "commerical expertise" is rezoning land, I'd say no.

nesf

It's pretty much at the mercy of the Dáil (and things outside of the control of politicians in this country) but one of the best ways of effecting change in the attitudes of the Dáil parties is through your vote in the upcoming Local elections.

Figure out what changes you want to see and find candidates and parties who you think will best represent you with that goal in mind. Don't expect miracles though or sudden results from councillors.

radio1

I suppose you have a point - but what could you do without them . Perhaps we should consider joining and going forwad to be elected by the gtraet wise masses

jimtheman

The way they can help is cut down on their expenses. Half the about of local councilors. A lot of times when local councilors meet they claim more that one set of expenses for that meeting. Even thought they use the seem hotel/board room for that day. Because they are discussing different matters and subjects they claim expenses for each topic and subjects.
Any councilors that has personal interest in property should not be aloud to stand for a election. Set up a few simple rules.

Seannad can be dissolve. Got rid. Besides a historical interest it is of no use.

Get rid of all junior ministers. Waste of space and wages and expenses.

Perhaps this could save at least 1 of the Billion out of 2 that the government is looking to cut back on.

Jim

Victor

jimtheman wrote: »

Any councilors that has personal interest in property should not be aloud to stand for a election.

Home owners need not apply?

wylo

Does anyone know how many councillors there are in Ireland and the average money they are earning?
I know of one particular one who has literally done nothing in the past few years, and I mean nothing, just wondering how many other councellors in Ireland doing the same.

Victor

wylo wrote: »

Does anyone know how many councillors there are in Ireland and the average money they are earning?

About 900-1,000 city and county councillors earning about €30,000 + expenses.

There would be about 700 town and borough councillors earning about €3,000 + expenses.

Councillors can't be council officials, TDs, senators, MEPs or a certain number of other positions. Councillors can only hold a position in one city and county council, although they can also be a town or borough councillor.

wylo

Victor wrote: »

About 900-1,000 city and county councillors earning about €30,000 + expenses.

There would be about 700 town and borough councillors earning about €3,000 + expenses.

Councillors can't be council officials, TDs, senators, MEPs or a certain number of other positions. Councillors can only hold a position in one city and county council, although they can also be a town or borough councillor.

lets say 900 * 30,000 = 27,000,000
300 * 3,000 = 900,000
average up 28 million not including expenses. Alot of them are working in seperate jobs also, alot of a councillors job seems to be just to keep their job. I know some are doing some work but a lot arent doing anything at all. They should be receiving 25% of that wage. It was only a few years ago they were earning nothing at all wasnt it?

lostexpectation

they could convince people that bringing back a local tax is good idea.

guser2006

Hi all - yeah that was sort of my thinking. I know some representation at local level is good, but what I mean is - can they help change anything in the bigger scheme of things.

I have always voted in Local Elections and will continue to - in essence I vote for those who I believe listen and act on the concerned voices in their area - be it planning permission, concerns about road qualities, parking, amenities etc etc.

I am DEFINITELY of the opinion that the situation we are in, has no quick fix, and I TRUELY believe that a fix is to curtail the expenses of the state in all manners - be it the civil service, the minimum wage, the expenses amassed by entities such as FAS, Enterprise Ireland, the DAIL etc. I also appreciate we may need more revenue coming in if we wish to continue our building for the future - roads, hospitals etc. BUT I suppose what i'm thinking is lets find a balance, and lets all suffer equally. The main thing I'm looking for though is some visibility - people need to know where the money goes, so they can embarassed / pressured into identifying areas which MUST be addressed.

Sort of gone of this topic, apologies for the rant

guser2006

PS - dont want to sound like I'm being a socialist or anything I really amn't. All I'm saying is that if for example Enterprise Ireland needs to exist, which I think it does as it helps to promote Irish businesses both here and abroad, what % of the cost it takes to run EI is grants and useful to businesses versus what is spent on the admin costs associated with this, and what if anything could be done to reduce these?

My point is - lets find what are the costs which are not helping us as a country in one way or another and get rid of them, instead of just introducing more taxes to get more money in, instead of getting the house in order first.

MoominPapa

If you want your councillors to have the abililty to effect anything you'll have to start paying rates. Its the only option that will bring in steady revenues in the current mess we're in and would also reintroduce meaningfull local democracy therefore it won't happen

aodh_rua

Victor wrote: »

About 900-1,000 city and county councillors earning about €30,000 + expenses.

There would be about 700 town and borough councillors earning about €3,000 + expenses.

Councillors can't be council officials, TDs, senators, MEPs or a certain number of other positions. Councillors can only hold a position in one city and county council, although they can also be a town or borough councillor.

The representation allowance for councillors is fixed by law at one quarter of the salary of a senator - which makes it around €16,000. They can then claim legitimate expenses on top of that.

wylo

I find that hard to believe , I know for a fact that there are councillors taking in at least double that including expenses. There is no way expenses would be 16K.

sceptre

wylo wrote: »

I find that hard to believe , I know for a fact that there are councillors taking in at least double that including expenses. There is no way expenses would be 16K.

You might think that.here are some examples from 2005 (Irish Examiner story from April 2006). I'm sure there's a longer and more recent list somewhere, I just went for something from google's first 10. Note that Cork's former mayor Michael Ahern said last July that even if he wasn't Cork's mayor, his expenses would still have been 25k. I love the "study trips" and so on. That Chicago trade conference in 2005 was pretty popular too as I recall, quite a number of the county councillors in Cork as well as the city councillors managed to get on that plane.

Anyone know if councillors can still claim multiple expenses on the same day by zipping in and out of more than one conference in a few hours? I can recall it being raised as a fiddle-the-bill issue at some point, no idea if it was resolved.

lostexpectation

a lot of councillors say they don't have time if they work, you see some of them not turning up for meetings saying they are too busy with their jobs

would you prefer full time councillors or ones with jobs
or perhaps one that took a sebatical from their work, i think i'd prefer this so as not to have councillors sitting for 20years.