Councillors hit out at ‘disrespect’ of Darragh O’Brien in refusing to set local election date
COUNCILLORS are becoming increasingly furious over the refusal of local government minister Darragh O’Brien to confirm a date for long-anticipated local authority elections.
The minister has narrowed it down to between June 6 and June 9, but with fewer than three months before the country votes, the minister has yet to finalise when people will go to the polls.
The minister recently received a letter from Independent Galway councillor Geraldine Donohue, who told him: ‘As a sitting county councillor it is totally unacceptable that the minister is not prepared to confirm the exact date and day for the local elections. This shows disrespect for councillors, the electorate, polling station venues, many [of which] are schools and having spoken to some teachers, they don’t know either and cannot plan various events.
‘There has been much fanfare and debate over the past year on “The Future of Local Democracy” with the most recent [ballot] only last Thursday, February 29, 2024, but yet we cannot announce a date for the local elections, which is shocking.
‘I am calling on the ministers, who are both former councillors themselves, to announce without further delay the date for the Local Elections 2024.’
In a further ratcheting up of the councillors’ waiting time woes, the issue was raised by Independent TD and former councillor Victor Boyhan, who called the minister into the Seanad last week to answer for his handling of the issue.
Mr Boyhan said the minister needs ‘to make a statement confirming the official voting date for the forthcoming local elections and to confirm his full intention to sign the statutory order for that date’.
Mr Boyhan said: ‘Councillors, from all parties and none, have contacted me to say they wish to prepare literature, which is expensive, because they want to encourage voter turnout and, for that reason, they would Letter: Donohue wrote to O’Brien like to indicate the exact date. I know, Friday June 7, has been considered as a possible date.’
However, Green minister Pippa Hackett has warned the councillors they would have to wait a little longer, saying: ‘As senators are aware, elections for the European Parliament and local elections will take place between June 6 and 9 but I have been told that the minister will make the polling day orders in early April. That is within a month or less.’
Ms Hackett added: ‘In three weeks’ time, we will have the date assigned. I hope this gives people a bit more confidence in terms of the date, but we do know that it will be between June 6 and 9.’
Mr Boyhan said the continued delay in naming a day raises questions about ‘the reluctance of the minister to confirm. Surely it is about participation, democracy and encouraging people. I will scan this reply to send it to the 949 councillors and tell them that I followed it up again’.
He added: ‘It is utterly unsatisfactory that the minister with responsibility for local government, in a tripartite coalition, cannot confirm to councillors the date.’
Another, more suspicious, source said: ‘It’s simple. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens are letting their own know, but no one else, so they can get an advantage. Their tricks just don’t end.’
‘It’s shocking we don’t have a date’