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Soc Dems announce replacement for Galway City Council

[Deleted User]

https://www.rte.ie/news/connacht/2023/0228/1359362-council-galway/

"Councillor Hanley vacated the position at the start of this year following allegations against him on social media.

Secondary school teacher and cycling activist Alan Curran has been nominated by the Social Democrats to be co-opted to Galway City Council.

The news was shared on Twitter this morning, with Mr Curran saying he was feeling "apprehensive but excited" to start the new journey.

Mr Curran is the co-founder of Galway Cycle Bus, a dedicated school cycle route serving the Knocknacarra suburb of Galway City."

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ThePentagon

I assume they did plenty of vetting this time 😲

zell12

Any reason why they did not pick others that ran in 2019? Sharon Nolan just missed out on a seat and would be vocal for constituents

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120304203#Comment_120304203

I read a few weeks ago that Niall O'Tuathail ruled himself out but I didn't read that Sharon Nolan had done similar

Unrealistic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120304339#Comment_120304339

I think Dara Bradley reported recently that Sharon Nolan had said she was not putting herself forward? There was also a SocDem candidate in the Galway City West ward in the last local election but I don't remember his name and I seem to remember he was far behind Sharon Nolan and Owen Hanley in terms of vote numbers.

zell12

John Crowley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Galway_City_Council_election

Unrealistic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120304829#Comment_120304829

Thanks. He did better than I had (mis)remembered.

kabakuyu

The litmus test will be in the next local elections, people will not forget the accusations against Hanley and the totally inadequate response from the SD leadership(maybe thats why they vacated the leadership), the people of the east ward deserve better, not just an activist for a vocal minority being parachuted in to boost the profile of the SD.

Long term we need to look at the whole system of co-opting, if a candidate is resigning for impropriety or criminal behaviour, their party should not be rewarded by being able to hold on to the seat, we should look at giving the seat to the next candidate in the last local election, at least they had gathered some votes from the electorate unlike the current proposed substitute.

rustyfrog

Agree on the co-opting, it should go to the next candidate or have a bye-election. On local elections I generally vote for the candidate rather than the party.

Unrealistic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120305405#Comment_120305405

There's a lot to be said for that but when someone is resigning because of accusations, and any conviction to actually pronounce on guilt or innocence is years away, it's going to be tough to define which resignations are for "impropriety or criminal behaviour".

The suggestion about the next candidate sounds interesting too, although in this case that would have been Mairead Farrell so I don't know how that would work out.

kabakuyu

The idea for a by election should be looked at as well, the losers here are the electorate in the east ward, they have had no input into the selection of the new SD substitute, and I note that other parties avail of this as well especially when someone is made a Td/senator. There should be no automatic right for the political party to hold onto the seat.

If my calculations are right we will now have 3 council member who have been co opted but at least Imelda Byrne did receive some votes from the electorate unlike the other 2 substitutes.

Unrealistic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120305906#Comment_120305906

A by-election in a six seat constituency is likely to distort, rather than reflect, the will of the electorate. In the last election the ex-PDs and FF took 50% of the first preference votes and 4 of the 6 seats between them. In a single candidate by-election in that constituency they would almost certainly be able to ensure the winner would be either FF or an ex-PD protégé. That would mean that the two groupings that have already managed to convert 50% of the vote into 67% of the seats would likely translate it into 83% of the seats after the by-election.

kabakuyu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120306126#Comment_120306126

The current system is imposing councilors that have never stood for election, thats the biggest distortion.I am sure the electorate would rather the opportunity to vote on a new councillor rather that having one imposed on them, the will of the electorate is paramount here, if the new substitute is good enough they should be able to win.

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120305906#Comment_120305906

Agree + all Co-optees are based in the West Ward (Imelda is Barna, but represents Central Ward) and now also the Soc Dem candidate representing the East Ward. That could be a crowded space in the Next Election in that Ward?

?Cee?view

I see this thread is being censored and my previous comment has been deleted, without even the courtesy of a "moderator" letting me know, or why. Anyway, I remain of the view that appointing a one-trick pony to the Council is a complete waste of time. This guy is identified with the cycling fanatics, and nothing else. He will only be listened to by the Greens on the Council who most likely won't return following the next election.

Unrealistic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120387288#Comment_120387288

What a strange worldview to regard merely wanting kids to be able to travel a short distance to school safely by bike as 'fanaticism'.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120387869#Comment_120387869

It's a wothy cause (almost as hood as wanting footpaths that all the kids can walk on) vs bike lanes for the richer ona es.

Buti ts still a single issue. Thats what makes him fanatical.

what_traffic

Such silliness from the usuals, he's not an Independent nor single issue.

He represents Soc Dem and all the policies that they have.

Take that or leave it, play the ball not the man.

Unrealistic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120387983#Comment_120387983

So you are only aware of Curran's cycling activities, despite the media coverage of his involvement in all sorts of community activities from underage coaching to mountain rescue, and you feel justified in labelling him fanatical?

When Eddie Hoare put himself forward for election his public profile centred entirely around football. Does that make him fanatical?

What about when Imelda Byrne was co-opted into Ollie Crowe's seat and was only vaguely known for her education access work in NUIG. Does that make her fanatical?

As for your snide comments about kids who happen to travel by bike, you just can't help yourself, can you. It costs more than €10k a year to keep the average car on the road, according to the AA. The lifetime cost of keeping a kid's bike running would be less than €100 per year. Painting kids who cycle as 'rich kids' really betrays your petty biases.

And, if you're really concerned about footpaths and facilitating kids been able to get about on foot (although how does that square with your militant aversion to permeability measures that actually facilitate walking?), you'll be happy to know that Galway Cycling Campaign submissions to the Planning Department in the Council generally place at least as much emphasis on facilitating pedestrian movement as they do on bike paths. Often even more emphasis.

seanin4711

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120306126#Comment_120306126

exactly,how can you just walk into council unelected?

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120394684#Comment_120394684

3 of our Cllrs just did in the current Galway City Council term.

Local Gov is so weak and such a mess not sure its even worth going down the by-election process for this when the Cllr's have so little power (in comparison with TD's. ) I agree with it though in principle that we should have by-elections, if Cllrs where full time positions - then for sure it should be the norm.

kabakuyu

Bottom line is that the East ward have a non elected substitute foisted on them by the SD's,the same party that did'nt have the decency to inform the council that Owen Hanley had the whip withdrawn from him due to allegations of serious misconduct.The same party who only informed council of whip removal when alleged victim went public with the accusations.

Excuse me if I have a problem with the SD's imposing an unelected sub to represent the east ward where he has never faced the electorate or garnered one vote from the voters.

BTW do we know how many local SD's made the decision?How many even live in the east ward? theres been no transparency from the SD's once again.

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120396529#Comment_120396529

I would agree with you in principle re non-elected substitute getting appointed - but not sure why make that a specific SD issue? The same is done by all the other political party's.

Re other points on the SD's. I think ya that is fair to have that information out in the open. No idea on the structure they have at local level.

kabakuyu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120396676#Comment_120396676

Only because its current and it does reek a bit.

zell12

The same system exists with MEPs. It is cost effective and short-term, plus it gives the substitute a chance to prove themselves. Who is Chris MacManus? Who is Colm Markey?

kabakuyu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120397153#Comment_120397153

Yet we have by elections for TD's.Why should an unelected sub have time to prove themselves? should not the next highest in the poll be given the spot, after all they faced the electorate and got real votes.

zell12

TDs have more power, plus it is a requirement by law.

Where a local councillor resigns, retires or dies, their party nominates a replacement candidate. If an independent councillor dies, the Council follows its own procedures as set out in its standing orders.

kabakuyu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120397349#Comment_120397349

Subs have localised power and maybe that law should be also a requirement for local government.fact is we have someone who never received a vote or stood in front of the electorate now representing 20k people in the east ward.

Gremlinertia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120387288#Comment_120387288

I'm looking into this but currently can't see any edits to the thread, so one, bear with me and two, don't discuss moderation on thread please

Grem