Local Government: Options for Reform Dr. Aodh Quinlivan and Dr. Liam Weeks Department of Government University College Cork

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Local Government Options for ReformDr. Aodh
Quinlivan and Dr. Liam WeeksDepartment of
GovernmentUniversity College Cork

• Presented at Conference on
• Political reform in the Republic of Ireland
• June 22 2009, Trinity College Dublin

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Overview

• Contemporary debate on reform/ abolishment of
  political institutions
• Where stands local government?
• What works
• Whats wrong
• What works elsewhere
• Suggestions for reform

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1. Local government what works

• Political/administrative partnership (despite
  failure to adhere to reserved/executive legal
  distinction)
• Management System (What about DEMs?)
• Relaxation of ultra vires and promotion of
  general competence
• Innovation and creativity
• Electoral cycle

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2. Local government whats wrong

• Perception of role
• Powers
• Structure of local government
• Finance
• Central/local relations

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Problems with local government1. Perception of
position
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How different are councillors to TDs?

• Local government recruiting ground for TDs (2007
  75)
• TDscouncillors with greater powers of patronage
• Differencenationally-oriented TDs, but these are
  a minority
• Most TDs act as glorified councillors (most used
  to be actual councillors prior to dual mandate
  ban)

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Why do TDs act like councillors?

• Michael Gallagher will talk more about this
• Problem is the training ground
• Why is it surprising they repeat habits learned
  at the council level?
• Proposition should local government no longer be
  a training ground for the Dáil?

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Blame the voters?
Source 2009 RTE/Sunday Independent Lansdowne
exit poll
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Problems with local government - Powers

• Top-down approach
• Powers of councils limited to eight categories
  housing, roads, water and sewerage, and planning
  physical environment
• Very narrow range in comparison to most European
  countries.
• Functions of Irish local authorities result of a
  combination of history, accident and attachment
  to tradition
• Devolution Commission 1995
• Master/servant relationship
• Callanan . it appears that many politicians,
  even committed advocates of local government
  reform, have given up the ghost of a major
  devolution of functions to local authorities

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Problems with local government - Structure

• Counties, cities, towns and boroughs (Clonmel,
  Drogheda, Kilkenny, Sligo, Wexford)
• Illogical arrangements at Town Council level
• 15 of population significant discrepancies in
  size
• Make them relevant or abolish (based on the Act
  of 2001, the latter seems more likely)
• Water and sanitary functions transferred upwards
  to county level
• Are we well served by the county system?
• Big variations in representation
• Do we need more or less local government?

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Council and cllr representation in EU
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Problems with local government - Finance

• The litmus test for central governments
  commitment to local democracy
• Expenditure of more than 10 billion per annum
• Abolition of domestic rates and agricultural
  rates
• Succession of reports ignored (KPMG, Indecon
  etc.)
• Disproportionate burden on business sector
• Commission on Taxation property tax? domestic
  water charges?
• Money allocated through Needs and Resources
  model?

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Problems with local government central/local
relations

• Centralisation characteristic outcome of
  revolutions
• Appropriate perhaps for 1920s but today?
• intense centralisation and general
  subordination arteries have grown too hard and
  bureaucratic sclerosis has become too far
  advanced
• Change of mentality required
• Councillors who become TDs forget about
  strengthening local government when they get to
  the Dáil
• Power of dissolution re-stated in 2001 Act
• The Nuclear option inconsistent with
  principles of local democracy

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3. Local government what works well

• Denmark always held up as role model
• Scandinavian model opposed to the principle of
  ultra vires follows principle of subsidiarity
• Switzerland participation through local
  referenda
• United Kingdom cabinet model at local level
• 3 categories
• (a) local government takes a national role
  Austria, Denmark, Finland
• (b) Consultation role Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden
  and the UK
• (c) Cosmetic role Germany, Ireland and
  Portugal.

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4. Local government suggestions for reform

• Make local government stronger
• Increase revenue-raising powers devolve taxation
  base to local level
• Devolve powers over local issues to local
  government
• Part of a global trend of decentralising power
  abide by principle of subsidiarity
• This would narrow focus of Dáil could this
  reduce numbers of TDs

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4. Local government suggestions for reform

• (b) Use as laboratory for political reform
• Reduce voting age to 16?
• Electronic voting (e.g. Scotland)
• Sunday voting
• Non-partisan elections (e.g. USA)
• Different electoral system (e.g. Scotland)
• Recall system?
• Should representation by region be replaced by
  representation by function?

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4. Local government suggestions for reform

• (c) Fission, not fusion, from national arena
• Ban councillors from running for Dáil?
• Local and Dáil elections on same day? (or locals
  shortly after)
• Give local government a clear role the arena to
  discuss local issues