Locals Galway City 2019

Anybody thinking of taking their vote in a different direction to normal? Protest vote, shake up or otherwise?
Some of the Soc Dems appeal to me individually, but the party doesn't seem to have any cohesion. Hopefully they'll get sorted before their people just get folded into the other existing parties.

youngrun

xckjoo wrote: »

Anybody thinking of taking their vote in a different direction to normal? Protest vote, shake up or otherwise?
Some of the Soc Dems appeal to me individually, but the party doesn't seem to have any cohesion. Hopefully they'll get sorted before their people just get folded into the other existing parties.

A lot of the youngsters standing seem to be part of newer parties eg Soc Dems, PBP

topcat77

I'm not sure how a protest vote could happen.

this is my understanding of city politics of late.

A few councilors squabble like children which disrupts and reduces every council meeting to a farcical circus.

The civil servants that are actually running the council barely acknowledge the councilors if not blankly ignore them outright.

I've had contact with a few councilors in the west and they've been helpful and genuinely nice people. they'll get my vote on that basis and not who they are politically affiliated with.

topcat77 wrote: »

I'm not sure how a protest vote could happen.

this is my understanding of city politics of late.

A few councilors squabble like children which disrupts and reduces every council meeting to a farcical circus.

The civil servants that are actually running the council barely acknowledge the councilors if not blankly ignore them outright.

I've had contact with a few councilors in the west and they've been helpful and genuinely nice people. they'll get my vote on that basis and not who they are politically affiliated with.

When I was newer to the area than now, I contacted local and adjacent cllr candidates about issues that impact on this district. Same experience as you, one in five of the locals responded beyond the 'send me the info' stage, at least two who knew I couldn't vote for them, went over and above to stear me right.
I know ppl dont like parish pump politics, but it says a lot about the candidates I've found.

The Galway Ad is covered with them this week. Funny to see Mairead Farrell and Conor Burke talking about the exact same thing. Socialists on the same page I suppose

what_traffic

SparchandCans wrote: »

As of Jan 5th there is:

East ward:

Terry O'Fatherty|Ind (Cllr)
Declan McDonnell|Ind (Cllr)
Mike Crowe|FF (Cllr)
Mairead Farrell|SF (Cllr)
Noel Larkin|Ind (Cllr)
John Walsh|FG (Cllr)
Alan Cheevers|FF
Owen Hanley|Soc Dems
Conor Burke|Solidarty

Central ward:

Mike Cubbard|Ind (Cllr)
Ollie Crowe|FF (Cllr)
Frank Fahy|FG (Cllr)
Padraig Connelly|FG (Cllr)
Mark Lohan|SF (Co-option)
Joe Loughnane|PBP
Sharon Nolan|Soc Dems
Martina O'Connor|Greens

West Ward:

Donal Lyons|Ind (Cllr)
Colette Connolly|Ind (Co-option)
Peter Keane|FF (Clrr)
Pearce Flannery|FG (Cllr)
Neil McNelis|Lab (Cllr)
Cathal O Conchuir|SF (Cllr)
Pauline O'Reilly|Greens
John Crowley|Soc Dems

All the Cllrs in Bold were former members of (other) Political Party's.

East ward:
Terry O'Fatherty|Ind (Cllr)Progressive Democrats
Declan McDonnell|Ind (Cllr)Progressive Democrats
Mike Crowe|FF (Cllr)Independent
Central ward:

West Ward:

Donal Lyons|Ind (Cllr)Progressive Democrats
Colette Connolly|Ind (Co-option)Labour
Neil McNelis|Lab (Cllr)Fine Gael

Have I missed any?

what_traffic

youngrun wrote: »

A lot of the youngsters standing seem to be part of newer parties eg Soc Dems, PBP

Some of the sitting Cllrs have been sitting in City Hall since 1991

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_Galway_City_Council_election

youngrun

what_traffic wrote: »

Some of the sitting Cllrs have been sitting in City Hall since 1991

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_Galway_City_Council_election

Some famous names there..

Those there the longest have done a very good job for their areas .

Council is really a representative role as well as pushing the city management along, not sure how much influence at National level they can have with the key bodies eg NTA, HSE, Dept of Housing etc , re traffic, housing, health but I dont have enough knowledge re the ins and outs,

youngrun wrote: »

Some famous names there..

Those there the longest have done a very good job for their areas .

Council is really a representative role as well as pushing the city management along, not sure how much influence at National level they can have with the key bodies eg NTA, HSE, Dept of Housing etc , re traffic, housing, health but I dont have enough knowledge re the ins and outs,

From talking to cllr's and td's, I think this is an accurate assessment of their scope. When I interacted with them, the two things I heard most commonly where 'I have no power over that' and 'I can only ask this if enough ppl ask me too'

Bredabe wrote: »

From talking to cllr's and td's, I think this is an accurate assessment of their scope. When I interacted with them, the two things I heard most commonly where 'I have no power over that' and 'I can only ask this if enough ppl ask me too'

Ya according to themselves they don't have power to do much. Not exactly sure why the positions exist at all :pac:. Gonna start pushing them on that. Let them tell you what they're ready, willing and able to do.

xckjoo wrote: »

Ya according to themselves they don't have power to do much. Not exactly sure why the positions exist at all :pac:. Gonna start pushing them on that. Let them tell you what they're ready, willing and able to do.

I brought educational discrimination up to a cllr candidate(as I wanted it brought up at national level), he told me to my face he wasn't going to 'touch that'. So I did the same.

what_traffic

xckjoo wrote: »

Ya according to themselves they don't have power to do much. Not exactly sure why the positions exist at all :pac:. Gonna start pushing them on that. Let them tell you what they're ready, willing and able to do.

That's true.
The Cllrs now have very little say in what happens. Only time they have big influence/power is ZONING time when City Development plans(that's every 6/7 years ) are cobbled together, other than that the Council Executive rule the roost.

[Deleted User]

Most of their powers were removed over the years due to corruption and basic ineptitude.

Even with the little power they do have, zoning, there is often crazy shenanigans.

There is a strong argument for removing even zoning powers from them

So this all begs the question, what exactly do the local Councillors do? Is there somewhere that outlines the responsibilities of the position?

Gadgetman496

xckjoo wrote: »

So this all begs the question, what exactly do the local Councillors do? Is there somewhere that outlines the responsibilities of the position?

They make representations on behalf of people that ask them to do so, very little else.

topcat77

I think there is a place for them in modern politics but not 18 for the city of Galway. I'd say max 3 for each ward (9 in total).

Is that Dara Bradley one in the tribune always so bad? Picked it up today in the library and he's just awful

topcat77 wrote: »

I think there is a place for them in modern politics but not 18 for the city of Galway. I'd say max 3 for each ward (9 in total).

If we picked the top three of the current wards we would have 3 Fianna Failers, 3 former PDs, 2 indps and FG. No thanks

Gadgetman496 wrote: »

They make representations on behalf of people that ask them to do so, very little else.

The only time I heard about the cllr for where im sofa surfing atm is when he got the oldies money for more flowers!.

Only a priority for a small % of the residents.

Gadgetman496

Bredabe wrote: »

The only time I heard about the cllr for where im sofa surfing atm is when he got the oldies money for more flowers!.

Only a priority for a small % of the residents.

The oldies must have asked him for more flowers so

youngrun

https://www.galwaycity.ie/council-mayor-information#1

From this is where I got my steer on what they do..

Representing the people and all that
Meetings ..
Minutes here of recent ones, a lot of things brought up , https://www.galwaycity.ie/uploads/downloads/council_meetings/Adopted%20Minutes%20Special%20Meeting%2026th%20November%202018.pdf
https://www.galwaycity.ie/uploads/downloads/council_meetings/121118_01_Minutes.pdf

youngrun wrote: »

https://www.galwaycity.ie/council-mayor-information#1

From this is where I got my steer on what they do..

Representing the people and all that
Meetings ..
Minutes here of recent ones, a lot of things brought up , https://www.galwaycity.ie/uploads/downloads/council_meetings/Adopted%20Minutes%20Special%20Meeting%2026th%20November%202018.pdf
https://www.galwaycity.ie/uploads/downloads/council_meetings/121118_01_Minutes.pdf

Cheers yougrun. Now we're getting somewhere. Note that Representation is one of their main responsibilities so next time they tell you "I have no power over that", ask them how that stance is reflective of that responsibility. They're not supposed to be able to directly change things. They're supposed to represent the wishes of their constituents to those that can.

Yeah I think the 'I have no power' thing's a bit of a cope out. If the council is out of touch/skewed then it'll never really be good at representation.

Gadgetman496 wrote: »

The oldies must have asked him for more flowers so

I'm sure they did, but the rest of us asked for things like traffic calming and get ignore on the street.
Notatority for the wrong rrasons here.

Looks like the Greens central ward candidate is spouting off anti-vaccine and anti-gmo nonsense. That's one ticked off early for me anyhow

Ficheall

I'll have a list of the candidates, and will cross off whoever sends spam through my letterbox or sticks up a fugly poster I have to walk by. If anyone is left on the list come voting time, they can have my vote.

Any word on new Labour candidates. Usually vote for them except in '16 to give em a message. But are they dead in Galway now?

RainNeverBow wrote: »

Any word on new Labour candidates. Usually vote for them except in '16 to give em a message. But are they dead in Galway now?

Candidates can declare until 'a few weeks before' the ballot, so there maybe a few dark horses yet.