Tullamore councillor elected Vice President of the Association of Irish Local Government

OFFALY Independent councillor, Sean O' Brien, has been elected as the Vice President of the Association Of Irish Local Government(AILG).

This body represents all 949 elected Councillors in Ireland, provides training for Councillors and represents them in negotiations with the Government.

Nominated by the Independent Group in the AILG Cllr O' Brien was elected at the AGM in Mullingar on Thursday last.

Councillor Aengus O' Rourke from Athlone was elected as President thus ensuring an all Midland team at the helm for the coming year.

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"I am honoured to be elected as Vice President of this important body in Irish Local Government. This is a very significant time for local government in Ireland as the Government launched the findings of the Local Democracy Taskforce last week and the implementation of the recommendation in that report will begin in the immediate future. This the biggest reform of Local Government in a generation and I will use my position as Vice President to ensure that Councillors have the voice, representation and supports that they need to meet the challenges ahead" stated Cllr O' Brien

"The report was launched last Wednesday by Ministers James Browne and John Cummins and it offers a significant opportunity to strengthen local democracy. The Government has committed to implementing 79 measures from now until 2029. There will be more powers for Councillors, it will improve local decision making and give local communities a greater say in how their areas are run. There will be new Municipal Councils with more powers. There will be statutory response times for Councillors queries and questions and also administrative and secretarial support for Councillors" outlined Cllr O' Brien.

"This is not just about giving Councillors more power for its own sake. It is about ensuring that the Councillors that local people elect have the authority, support and tools that they need to deliver better outcomes for the local communities that they represent. The recommendations in the report recognise the important role that Councillors play in representing their communities and responding to local needs. Local Councillors are the closest level of government to the people. Every day we work with local communities to improve local services, support local development and respond to the issues that matter most to residents. The challenge now is to ensure that these recommendations move beyond paper and are fully implemented and I look forward to real and meaningful progress in the months and years ahead" concluded Cllr O' Brien.

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The following are some of the recommendations :

1) Municipal Councils in all Local Authorities with enhanced decision making powers, functions and budgets

2) Improved supports for Councillors, including enhanced administrative, secretarial and meeting supports

3) Greater devolution of functions to Local Authorities

4) New legislation will underpin the policy making role of Councillors

5) Greater financial autonomy for Local Authorities, ensuring that revenues from local property and land use taxes benefit Councils thus providing greater flexibility to support investment in local measures.