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IN JUST UNDER three weeks, thousands of candidates will learn whether the public has selected them to become county councillors.
With just 31 local authorities, down from 114, and 950 seats, down from 1,627, competition is keener than ever.
Councillors sit on local authorities and direct policy. Many major decisions are made without their input, with county and city managers wielding the bulk of power.
So, what are these candidates letting themselves in for? Can they achieve some of their loftier aims? And is it tough to navigate the system?
The Job
Kieran Dennison of Fine Gael has been a councillor for the Mulhuddart ward of Fingal County Council since 2009 and has been mayor of the county since last year.
He says that working in a council is “like working in any large business”.
“You have to work with people to get work done.”
Labour’s Rebecca Monihan has been on Dublin City Council since 2009 and says that the job is diverse but challenging.
It’s very busy. Every day is different.
“For example today there was a call about improvement works in Rialto , a call about dumped rubbish and one person who thought they had not had a bin collection but had put their bin out on wrong day.”
Sinn Féin’s Eoin O’Broin was co-opted on South Dublin County Council in September 2013. He says that the challenge is in knowing what powers you hold.
“Councillors don’t have as much power as European counterparts. But there are lots of areas in which a councillor can do things.
“For example, housing is a major problem. The reality is there aren’t the houses, but one thing councillors have power over is policy.
“I proposed setting up a housing trust because council’s can’t borrow money for housing, but an arms-length company could. The council is now considering the proposition.
“Maybe next year if the plan comes off, we can increase the housing stock.
“Councillors have more power than they sometimes let on.”
The Process
Local authorities can sometimes be labyrinthine places to navigate. Different departments and officials as well as no small dose of red tape mean that it can be daunting for outsiders.
But Moynihan says it’s a learning curve.
“As you are on the council, you get to know who does what and who can solve what problems. You start to talk to people and learn what they can do to help constituents.”
Dennison says that it can be a case of looking out for your own area.
“[When you become aware of a problem] you ensure that it is listed and prioritised so that when the budget is there, it can be done.
It’s not so much a jungle, but if you’re in an area, you want your project prioritised and that could mean over another area.
“You have to work behind the scenes.
The Promises
The election has sharpened minds, but has brought with it a number of election promises.
Some of these, including the repeal of water charges or large-scale job creation, are outside the remit of councillors, something that frustrates all three sitting councillors.
“There are things you can do, but there things that are outside your power,” says O’Broin.
“The Labour Party says that they will cut the property tax in council. But, if we reduce property tax, where will the council get the lost revenue? Because Central Government isn’t going to make up that money. The only option is service cuts.
Any party saying they will cut a tax owes it to the electorate to explain where the lost money will be made or what services they will cut.
Dennison says that many candidates may not have experience of councils.
“I am quite sure that most people running have never been to a council or to a council meeting.
“Many might like the idea of being a councillor or of being on councils. Sometimes it’s a thankless job, so the best councillors are sometimes those who come from community work.
“It’s frustrating when people talk about national issues and have no council interest. Council elections should be about council issues.”
Moynihan thinks that many people know what councillors can and can’t do, particularly when councillors are engaged in local issues.
“I think a lot of people know that councils are focused on the local area.
“We had a problem with Dublin 8 lacking in green space, but we brought groups together and now we have secured a park on Cambridge Street because we worked with local groups and organisations.”
O’Broin says that people appreciate forthright politicians.
“I was at an estate recently where there is a lot of mature trees. We’ve been trying to get the trees pruned back, but the council policy is against that.
“We were straight from the beginning, we told the residents that we couldn’t do anything, but we would look at changing the policy. And I think people appreciate that.”
The Reward
The hours are long for what is a part-time job. The pay isn’t massive, either. So why do it?
“When you get things done it can be very rewarding. It’s very busy but a lot of fun,” says Rebecca Moynihan.
“Genuinely, I really enjoy it,” says O’Broin.
“It’s tough, particularly dealing with people who are being made homeless.
But you are also in a position to get stuff done. They may not be huge, but they are important because they affect peoples lives.
“It is rewarding when you get a result, but you have to know what you’re getting into,” says Dennison, while Moynihan has advice for new candidates.
“Talk to people and listen to people and stay with them for the five years.
“It’s not just about an election.
Be realistic about what you can achieve, you may not change the world, but what you do achieve can have a big impact on people’s lives.
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This is a terrible article. It explains nothing really and all the answers from the candidates shows how little they can do. Nothing has changed in 50 years. Cutting the grass and cutting back trees. Give me a break.
Actually they had a lot more powers 50 years ago, gradually lost them as they proved that they couldn’t be trusted.
Seems it can be be fitted in around full time job like TD’s can continue being school teachers and barristers , has 2 wks at Christmas and Easter and 3 months in the summer for holidays, the clerks in the county offices in all main towns send the engineers out to do the repair and maintenance etc, in short it’s a political creation much like the Senate to use up the never ending supply of money in the coffers for the public sector and don’t let us forget the new millionaires on the gravy train , An Bord Uisce ..
@Simon… You are correct about the article and I believe your estimation about the candidates. The question is…. How does one go about changing the structure of political offices.
Isn’t the the political process suppose to be for the people and by the people?
Marlon…..you could try the Michael Collins solution to a few of them, might focus their minds a bit :)
But, unlike TDs, Councillors dont continue as schoolteachers (for example) on a long-term leave-of-absence basis until they’re turfed out by voters and can then go back to the classroom. Being mere mortals without such featherbedded conditions, they teach by day and council (if that’s the right verb in this case) by night or during their lunchbreak. Personally I think that those who do so are mad to juggle two positions at once for a few quid extra but that’s their choice.
They are very prompt and efficient at putting up posters.
If they were this prompt at returning your calls and this efficient at doing their job wouldn’t the country run a lot better.
Well our county councillor approved planning for houses that are still not finished 6 years later. Go figure…
Are they the ones who oversee the van with 5 lads in it to “fix” (tighten) 1 bolt on a swing in a playground. “Ah we’ll get the day ou’ this”
And if it’s the wrong bolt they’ll have to come back the next day
Confused… If we are to go to councillors for local issues…. Why do ministers have office hours and why do people go to them for help on local issues?
I recall Bertie, having office hours and dealing with local issues. Is this one of the reasons why there is so much confusion in our politics?
That both don’t adhere to boundaries and both make promises that can’t that are difficult to keep?
And since we are on the topic…. Who holds local councils responsible for the management of the local budget and spending? In the case of high debt or poor decisions that will deplete the future annual budget?
Just a bloated politcal class which is not required. Pure wastage! Ireland could get by with half the nit wits that think they are required for society to function. This will never happen though because if the amount of politicians in Ireland was halved then the rest of the gravy train passengers would actually have to do some real work and this would’nt suit them at all.
I agree Marlon. No need to TDs to have local offices. They are elected as national legislators.
Seems to be little oversight on county managers. Councillors have little remit. Sligo, Limerick and Dublin City county managers have been in news in lasst number of years and inspire no confidence.
5 county councils is enough. And councillors are not the main cost. 34 cocos and their infrastructure/personnel is ridiculous especially.
I wrote to a councillor recently with a suggestion for a potential local tourism project I had spent months researching. He replied saying that I should form a community committee and then he may be able to bring it further with the council Not the answer I wanted, but it reaffirmed my suspicion that they expect others to do the work before they can claim the glory.
The cheeky bugger put an election leaflet in my door over the weekend and my proposal is mentioned on it, i have never even met the guy
@Hulk…. Originally from the US, I’m well aware of the fact that political processes and laws are difficult to redact or reverse on a national level. In the case of the US…. There’s such a large population that often the process is long winded.
But what I’m trying to get my head around as an Irish citizen… Why the political process for change takes so long to happen or never happens regardless of majority support by tax payers. The Irish population is so much smaller.
@Gerbeen, if the tax payer want political office restructuring. … Why doesn’t it happen?
@Chris…. What recourse do you have with ignored suggestion…. Isn’t there away to call the idiot out? Shame him for inaction?
Chris, that’s what they do
Sligo and Limerick give retiring managers €240,000 lump sums retiring and €140,000 a year for pension ,, these counties must be run very well …
eh, did you not realise that they’ve got rid of close to half of the local ”nit-wits” for this election and the electorate chose to maintain the ones in the Seanad just 6 months ago?
Name him and shame him Chris.
Hear hear well said ! There is no need for even one Councillor they are a total waste !
He does 2 things. F all & nothing.
They attend funerals, functions in pubs, important GAA matches and once every month they have the task of having to claim their expenses. In order to claim these expenses they are expected to generate large amounts of hot air at Council meetings.
Nothing
Think of ways to was to increase there expenses .maybe?
The posters that are placed on street furniture looks awful and in my opinion makes no difference to the outcome of the voting.
What a waste of money!
Why not use the money to make a donation to the local project that one is supporting.
Also when the elections are over what happens to all the posters. One assumes they are taken down and then dumped. Again what a waste of time and money.
insulation for pigion lofts!
The article seems to suggest that councillors are some kind of social worker. I did not see anything about council meetings and policy debates, nothing about examinig and testing budgets, nothing about holding the county manager and his department heads. Nothing about examing and questioning planning proposals.
And they wonder why we don’t take them seriously.
Jesus, I hope they never have to do a day’s work. Poor darlings.
I dunno why we have so many people ruining the country.What does everybody do exactly.That what I want to know.
Wonder will phil hogan get any credit for slashing the number of local authorities and councillors to a figure more in line with a small country?
No he should not Sebastian. He took away town councils which are the heart of local democracy and the pay they got was miniscule compared to what a county councillor gets. People going for our local council made it easier for new ppl to get involved in there communities. Real reform should have started at the top with the Senate and the Dail. But typical of this government that they attacked the low paid and stopped young and new faces getting involved in local decision making.
Reform has to start somewhere; local government is as good a place as any. “Young and new faces” can still get involved. I’m seeing quite a few of both on posters around the area.
@Sebastian. The numbers of councillors are not remotely in line with the population. We now have the least amount of politicians per head in Europe. Big Phil’s facile notion of ”reform” is slashing numbers and making peanuts of savings rather than changing how things work.
Rebecca is a local councillor for my business and I have to say she is fantastic to approach and gets u answers to your questions . She’s a great representative for her area
Is the author a friend of Mr O’Broin? (in the interest of full disclosure)
looking at the posters round here in south tipp it’s pretty obvious that ‘austerity’ hasn’t affected any of them ! most of them look like sumo wrestlers! and thats only the women !
They do sweat FA when there elected and promise the sun moon and stars when they want your vote…… I think we could count the good ones on one hand
how many of these people would actually put themselves forward for election if there were no financial incentives in it ? very few i expect !
€17,000 is the ‘reward’. I know loads of people who work as councillors and have taken half hours at their actual job work as a consequence or they work a reduced week so that they fit everything in. I think if you were interested in money, you would find something else to do. This won’t be popular, because it is easier to rubbish the motives of people who get off their arses and represent their communities, but I believe that the overwhelming majority of councillors just want to do good by their communities vas they love politics. Nothing more!
@Eric To be fair, I’d say a good number of candidates have a background in some relevant unpaid community activism of some sort – residents’ committees, sports clubs etc. Check the election literature.
@Bernard Spot on. Far too many people are just content to lash out at anyone seeking to be part of politics without stopping to think that it’s not exactly a cake-walk full of treats. Some Cllrs are useless, lazy, chancers. Some are diligent, thoughtful and very good at what they do in representing their areas. It’s a mixed-bag. But generally there are plenty of other categories of fat cats further up the food chain who are more deserving of the public’s ire.
Yes, they will go in all enthusiastic and it will take a few months for them to realise that they either play the political game or be isolated. Most play the political game because they suddenly see a career there but the few inform the public what is really going on and even half the public will isolate them. So they get out. This is from the horse’s mouth…
Our local, useless, councillor cannot even get a bus-stop restored that was used for over 70 years until a spiteful local Garda Seargent decided to scrap it. Now a community of eleven dwelling houses has to walk a full extra kilometre down a busy road with no pavement or street lighting with lorry wing mirrors brushing our ears. Health & Safety, my arse!
County councillors do next to nothing and are mostly invisible from year to year until they need to get re-elected,then they are your buddy again, at least that is the experience in County Roscommon with one or two exceptions, the rest are a waste of space.
When you need something sorted you go to the county counsellors, regardless of what it is
You’re better off going directly to the council themselves. I live in an unfinished estate and the council have communicated with us and are very proactive. Personally I think we are ill served by a lot of the councillors.
By reading the snippets of information given in the article it seems like the councillors who want to do good for their community are being stopped by the policies in place. Just because councillors aren’t in photos every day of the week doesn’t mean they do sweet FA. But this article doesn’t really help my argument.
Councillers are like any bunch of people, some are excellent, some good,and some are just complete wasters,and once elected like all public reps they are impossible to shift other that wait for the elections come round again,its not ideal and local councils are too dependent on central government for funds,but until we have directly elected mayors and they have the power to raise and spend local funding efficiently for the benifit of the local communities ,councillers are the best we got.
as my dad was fond of saying SFA
They lobby for planning permission on flood plains and anywhere else their paymasters want to build. It’s the Irish way — power has corrupted most of them.
They neither make nor implement policy !
Question: Do you know what’s the salary of a County Councillor?
€17,000 per annum
Sweet FA
Sdcc has been doing some stuff in the last week because the elections are near haven’t being seen before, , but the never got the funding the were promised nor did the look for any either we need new people with some backbone in there. ..
Paul Hostford: 0 points, Neux poi.. Pointo noto, nada pointi, zilch, nada.
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