Sir, - One of the most striking features of what has passed for a debate on local government reform has been the absence of involvement by councillors. This has been mirrored by the virtual total lack of media coverage of existing local government structures. Regrettably and unusually, The Irish Times has been no exception. RTE, as our public broadcasting service, has been particularly shameful in the area.
In that context the publication of your Editorial, "Electing Our Mayors" (November 24th), if not the content, is to be welcomed.
To my mind, the jury is still out on whether the single measure of transferring power from a manager to a directly elected mayor would have any great positive impact.
It is important to restate that mayors and council chairpersons are, of course, elected in a manner similar to our Taoiseach, i.e. by their peers in the chamber to which they are elected by the people. The key differences are an annual review and the limited power or authority of the office holder.
What is not in doubt, however, is that local government, through the directly elected members, must be given real power, if it is to play the role that I know it can and most of my colleagues want it to play.
The Minister for the Environment and Local Government can achieve this today while continuing his search for agreement on a new procedure for selecting the mayors or council chairpersons. In my experience, despite abuses in a small number of local authorities, councillors are willing to use their positions in the best interests of their community and wider local authority areas. It is, unfortunately, the absence of power, in particular the power to raise finance, that reduces room for action. Such a transfer of power is needed today.
Real local government is about dealing with real issues. The method of choosing mayors, while easier to cover and editorialise about, is perhaps the least important of all the reforms needed. It is a pity that most of the limited media coverage there has been has focused on this one small area rather than on the reforms needed - and possible today. - Yours, etc.,
Cllr Dermot Lacey, Beech Hill Drive, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.