The Lord Mayor of Dublin today called for a radical rethink of local government reform. Referring to local democratic traditions across Europe, Cllr Eibhlin Byrne urged Government to learn from European experience before running headlong into local government changes.
Speaking at the announcement of European Local Democracy Week, Cllr Byrne said: " Now more than ever strong, resolute and courageous local democratic leadership is needed to help us maintain our perspective and navigate ways through the current storm financial seas. This can only happen if people become active involved in local politics."
" We need to have a strong directly elected mayor but this will only work if we link more strongly key services like education to local democratic leaders. This requires the creation of a real local funding model. Otherwise a directly elected lord mayor will have no real executive power and no connection to the needs of citizens."
The Mayor continued: "It is time to be radical. Times of crisis call for radical imaginative steps . . . In a country this size we could have five to six regional governments with real powers and elected executive leadership while developing networks of community based councils that allow for greater local accountability and participation."
Cllr Byrne was today joined by mayors and deputy mayors from the capitals of the EU.
The European Local Democracy Week begins a campaign to encourage citizens to register for vote, become active in local communities by pushing issues of concern, and become active members of political parties.
